Two goals in the final ten minutes of regulation time earned Caledonia AIA a 3-2 victory over a young Terminix La Horquetta Rangers outfit in match two of the 2024/2025 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League tier one season, which got under way at La Horquetta Recreation Grounds on December 6.
In the feature match of the league’s opening double-header, Rangers’ Kesean Rose gave the home fans an early treat as he fired his right-footed shot past Caledonia custodian Alfredo Lopez Alvarez in the eighth minute.
Caledonia’s Carlyle Mitchell cut their celebrations short in the 16th minute by heading past Rangers’ goalie Miles Goodman, off a Gabriel Nanton free kick.
Both teams entered the half-time break at 1-1.
Seven minutes into the second period, Rangers regained the lead when Josiah Edwards outpaced Caledonia defender Daniel Cyrus to rifle a low, left-footed shot into the net.
However, Guyanese player and eventual Reboot player of the match Simeon Moore drew level once more for Caledonia as he came up big in the box to head home off a corner taken by substitute Jevauhn Thomas in the 80th minute.
With the clock ticking closer to the final whistle, Rangers’ defender Akido Weekes fouled Caledonia striker Marcus Joseph in the penalty area, to which the latter successfully converted with a left-footed shot into the right corner, to send them 3-2 up.
Caledonia technical director Jamaal Shabazz, currently holding on as head coach for Jerry Moe who is abroad and would be back by their third tie, said he was happy to grab an early three points into the new season.
“I thought our guys fought hard today under difficult conditions, against a young, speedy and aggressive opponent. One of the determining factors in this game is the consistency by our guys to try to find the proper areas of the field to play, instead of just kicking it (ball) away.
The turning point was when we scored the equaliser. It got the head of the opponents down a bit and we were always confident that if we played the ball in the right areas, we would get chances.”
Despite the loss, Rangers head coach Dave Quamina applauded his youthful squad for pushing Caledonia down to the wire. He confirmed, however, that they have much work to do on countering set plays.
“Against a well-oiled team, and experienced back line (Caledonia), the guys held their own. Outside of the conditions of the field and the set plays they scored on us, they can hold their heads high. Our transition game was very well on and off the ball. I think we can work on set plays. We defended bad on the set plays but otherwise, we played good,” Quamina said.
The majority of Ranger’s team this season comprises Under-20 players. Quamina reiterated that as the season progresses, “All we can do is get better.”
In the season opener between Defence Force and Miscellaneous Police FC, the Coast Guard/Army combination were led to a 2-1 triumph courtesy goals from Kevin Molino (37th) and Isaiah Leacock (84th). Kareem Freitas scored Police’s lone item in the 94th minute.
