Round six of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division kicks off on Saturday with eight games across Trinidad. Second-placed San Juan North Secondary (15 points) and the 2022 national intercol champions Fatima College (13 points) meet at the former school's ground in Bourg Mulatresse from 4 pm in a mouthwatering top-three clash.
San Juan have won all five matches this season and only trail table-toppers Naparima College (15 points) on goal differential. Fatima had their own winning streak ended on Wednesday, as they played to a gripping goalless draw with reigning champions St Benedict's College (five points) in Mucurapo.
After five games, Fatima remain the only team yet to concede a goal in the 16-team division. TT youth goalkeeper Tristan Edwards has been exemplary in the goal for Fatima. Team captain and TT under-17 defender Jaden Williams has also been a tower of strength at the back for the intercol champs.
Fresh from their test against the "Golden Lions" of Benedict's, Fatima's defensive resilience will be tested against a San Juan team which possesses attacking firepower in the trio of Jaheem Danclar, Nathan Quashie and TT under-17 playmaker Lindell Sween. Both Danclar and Quashie have scored four goals this season. Sween, who turned 17 on Wednesday and celebrated his birthday with his team's 1-0 win over Arima North Secondary, has three goals to his name.
Fatima and San Juan met in last year's premier division "Big 4" semi-final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. The north zone school eked out a 1-0 win that day before progressing to the final where they were beaten by Benedict's. In Bourg Mulatresse, coach Jerry Moe and his San Juan outfit will be plotting their revenge.
At the University of TT campus in O'Meara, Arima will aim to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they meet the high-scoring Naparima from 4 pm. The south zone powerhouse has scored a whopping 32 goals in five games – 14 more than any other school. Naparima midfielder Kanye Francis leads all scorers in the division with six goals. His teammate Tevin Pantor has scored five.
At St Mary's College grounds on Serpentine Road in St Clair, there will be a north zone derby featuring St Mary's and Queen's Royal College. Both teams have six points and are ninth and tenth in the standings respectively.
At Fatima grounds in Mucurapo, East Mucurapo Secondary (six points) will host the struggling Chaguanas North Secondary (three points). Chaguanas are 14th on the table and are coming off a heavy 10-1 loss to St Anthony's College (nine points) in the previous round.
St Anthony's climbed to fourth spot with that massive win on Wednesday. They will journey to the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin to face a Benedict's team which has registered just one win in five games in the quest to defend their title.
In Marabella, the south and Tobago zones will have their own rivalry with a pair of matches kicking off at 3.30 pm. At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, the fifth-placed Presentation College San Fernando
