NLCL 24: Kamillionare’s David makes Pt Fortin “Goliaths” stumble on dodgy Techier pitch

As a former technical director of Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (MMPHS), Patrick Sambrano would be familiar of the story about David and Goliath. Techier Village in Point Fortin now knows it too.

On Sunday evening, second from bottom Kamillionare FC travelled to meet Group B leaders Point Fortin Youth FA on the latter’s home turf—and things did not quite pan out to script.

Well, that might depend on the script to be fair.

For Sambrano’s Kamillionare, the decisive blow came from the aptly-named Tyrese David, whose 83rd minute item was enough to make the leaders stumble—as the two teams walked off the field on level terms at two goals apiece.

“It wasn’t one of our better games but that’s how it is in sports sometimes,” Point Fortin coach Kester Richards told Wired868. “[…] We didn’t really execute what we planned to put out today but that happens…”

With three games left in Group B, Point Fortin Youth are four points clear of second and need just three points to be assured of a spot in the knockout rounds. On Sunday, Richards was without a few starters including the tournament’s top scorer, Isaiah “Baby Hulk” Jacob. Perhaps his pool is not as deep as he thought.

Near the other end of the standings, Kamillionare must win every game from here on, and even that would not guarantee them of advancing beyond their group. Not that Sambrano’s troops seemed short of motivation at kickoff.

“If we win, so be it—but we didn’t come in the competition to say we come for a prize, because there is no million dollar prize,” said Sambrano. “We come for youth development and for people to see them out there and for them to reach further in their career and to perfect their craft.

“For me, it is about development, development, development.”

It was, both teams agreed, a difficult ground for football.

“With the ground conditions, we decided we wanted to play direct,” said Richards. “So, we wanted to send through-balls down the line and get crosses into the box.”

Point Fortin were the home team. But, despite fielding the likes of Josiah Ochoa, Lyshaun Morris, Jeremiah Niles, Akel Vesprey and Jacob within the past year—all national youth players with decent technical ability—they did not have a surface that catered to their young talent.

Sambrano, who declared Kamillionare’s training ground to be 10 times better than the Techier field, was disgusted.

“The [Point Fortin Borough] Corporation and Ministry of Sports supposed to do a little more for the teams because these are community teams,” said Sambrano. “And the person who is structuring and putting on the league could make more of an effort to help the teams regarding fields and stuff.

“The football going nice and no league is perfect but it is youths we are dealing with and it should be about betterment and development. So, we need people with the funds to come out and help.

“[…] This field is deplorable and you have national players coming out and playing here—that is unacceptable.”

In response, tournament director Brian Jordan noted that, with TTPFL Tier One and Two competitions in action and two national youth teams in training, the U19 Community Cup has found it harder to source suitable venues.

“Most (NLCL) teams agree to the tournament rules and regulations prior to registration saying they have proper home grounds,” said Jordan. “[…] Unfortunately, it’s been difficult to get into stadia with both [the TTPFL] and national team training having higher priority.

“Even so, we will continue to look at ways to assist our valued academies and teams where we can.”

Niles turned out for Point Fortin at Techier on Sunday, but it was otherwise a weakened team for the hosts. Jacob, rested due to a niggle, looked on from the sidelines alongside Ochoa and Morris who both skipped the competition this year for various reasons.

Ochoa is in the National Under-20 pool and preparing for his CAPE exams while Morris is mixing National Under-20 duty with duty for Heritage Point Fortin Civic in the TTPFL Tier One.

Kamillionare and Point Fortin both used 4-3-3 formations and, although the hosts started brighter, it soon became evident that it was anyone’s game.

Off a short corner in the 35th minute, Niles’ cross-cum-shot clipped the Kamillionare bar. And, a minute later, Kamillionare goalkeeper Jayden Meharris was quick off his line to deny Niles on a breakaway.

Yet, the best chance of the first half fell to visiting forward Remiyah Walcott who had a straightforward headed opportunity in the box from a Damarion Boswell cross. But the chance came off his shoulder and gave Malik Hayes a simple catch in the Point Fortin goal.

In first half stoppage time, though, Kamillionare took the lead. This time, the lively David led the charge down the flank, burly forward Daniel Hope got involved too, but there was an element of good fortune as the ball broke for Walcott in the penalty area.

Hayes got a hand to Walcott’s shot but could not keep it out. And the leaders were behind.

Point Fortin, incidentally, only had 10 players on the field at the time—as forward Gerald Figaro was receiving treatment. Figaro never recovered and was replaced, at the interval, by Jeremiah Abraham.

“We were missing some of our better players today […] and the rhythm just wasn’t there,” said Richards.

Richards shuffled around his outfield players at the break in an effort to take control of the match. But, again, there was an element of luck in their 64th minute equaliser—as Gerard Davis penalised David for a handled ball in the penalty area, which Point Fortin defender Trishon O’Connor steered home.

And their go-ahead goal was a late Christmas present by the Kamillionare defence.

On the bouncy surface, stopper Daquan Thomas looked as awkward on the ball as a toddler with scissors. And, in the 69th minute, it finally cost the visitor.

Thomas turned around under pressure and, inexplicably, played a blind back pass towards his own custodian, which Abraham intercepted before tapping into an unprotected net.

Game, set and match then?

Kamillionare were not about to roll over. Sambrano promptly replaced Thomas and ineffective midfielder Samuel Sealy with Darion Woodroffe and Romario Sambrano—the coach’s son—respectively.

“I should have made those changes earlier, because the two substitutes who went in closed down all the play there,” said Sambrano.

While Thomas was a bundle of nerves, his central defensive partner, Sahrai Jay Mitchell, was arguably the best ball-handler in Techier on the weekend—and the latter’s teasing cross in the 82nd minute deserved an end product. Unfortunately for the visitors, Hope and Walcott got into each other’s way and the opportunity was lost.

Point Fortin did not heed the warning, though, and Mitchell had more where that came from.

In the 83rd minute, the left-footed defender played an incisive lofted diagonal ball to David and the busy winger cut in off the right flank to control before volleying past Hayes at his near post.

Somehow, the Point Fortin Goliaths were in trouble again.

A Woodroffe error almost decided the affair in the 84th minute, but Niles smashed his effort over from the edge of the 18-yard box. And, in stoppage time, it took the entire Kamillionare backline to stop the skilful St Benedict’s College attacker from converting a solo effort.

But Point Fortin were again down to 10 players—this time permanently—as 15-year-old right flanker Khaliq Ashton was shown a second yellow card after refusing to retreat from a Kamillionare free kick.

At the final whistle, the 2-2 score seemed fair. Sambrano might not agree though.

“In a nutshell, we should not have lost the game—we should have come away winners,” said the Kamillionare coach. “We had the opportunity to put away the game; but when you do not score your chances, the other team can come back and poison you.

“Thank God we didn’t lose the game.”

Richards was gracious to their guests.

“I have to congratulate Kamillionare,” he said. “People would have looked at them as underdogs; but they came here and they did quite well and let their football talk on the field.”

The weekend draw, as far as the Point Fortin coach was concerned, was a blip. The southern team remain unwavering in their target.

“We have big ambitions,” said Richards. “This is a young team. We sat out some of our better players like Ochoa and Morris and we gave the other guys room to show themselves.

“We didn’t really execute what we planned [against Kamillionare] but that happens sometimes in football. Still because of the quality of the performances I have seen so far from the team, I am looking to go and take the title.”

Point Fortin will not go down easily—no matter the surface.

(Teams)

Point Fortin Youth FA (4-3-3): 1.Merlik Hayes (GK); 3.McKale Thomas, 4.Jimally Renne, 2.Trishon O’Connor, 17.Elijah David; 8.Kwesi Seales, 6.Kareem Sealy (captain), 12.Joshua Bernard; 16.Khaliq Ashton [Red card 89], 9.Gerald Figaro (7.Jeremiah Abraham 46), 10.Jeremiah Niles.

Unused substitutes: 00.Joshua Alexander (GK), 19.Jayden McMeo.

Coach: Kester Richards

Kamillionare FC (4-3-3): 1.Jayden Meharris (GK); 9.Emmanuel Edwards, 6.Daquan Taylor (4.Darion Woodroffe 73), 5.Sahrai Jay Mitchell, 3.Darion Boswell; 7.Samuel Sealy (12.Romario Sambrano 73), 8.Matthias Quintin, 18.Daniel Hope (captain); 16.Damarion Boswell, 14.Remiyah Walcott, 10.Tyrese David.

Unused substitutes: 2.Ja-el Wilson, 13.Kermarley George.

Coach: Patrick Sambrano

Referee: Gerard Davis

NLCL U19 Community Cup results

(Sunday 21 January)

Group A

AIA 4 (Christiano Johnson 7, Jean-Marc Thomas 31, Theo Crovador 76, Jahdel Chase-Charles 90+1), Cantaro United 0 at Eddie Hart Recreational Ground;

QPCC – City FC 7 (Aydon Caruth 17, Luke Correia 20, 72, Micah Nelson 45+2, Caden Trestrail 64, Kyle Collier 75, 90+2), Malabar Young Stars 0 at Hasely Crawford Stadium Training Field;

SMS 4 (Khaleem Prince 4, 19, 31, Deisean Plaza 15), Caledonia AIA 1 (Zachery Joseph 52) at Bon Air East Recreational Ground;

Group B

Gasparillo Youths 2 (Malik Young 23, Jabari Rodriguez 44), Central Soccer World 1 (Kelon Williams 43) at Morne Diablo Recreational Ground;

Moruga FC 1 (Ayche Allum-Saunders 87), Made In la Brea 6 (Ruben Phillip 20, 40, 75, Jaheim Phillip 47, Joshua Gustave 75, Joshuel Simon 87) at Marac Recreational Ground;

Point Fortin Youth FA 2 (Trishon O’ Connor 64 pen, Jeremiah Abraham 70), Kamillionare FC 2 (Remiyah Walcott 45+4, Tyrese David 83) at Techier Recreational Ground;

Group A Standings (Tabulated as played-won-drew-lost-goals for-goals against-points)

AIA                           7-5-2-0-23–2–17

QPCC – City FA     7-5-1-1-25-6-16

SMS                           7-4-1-2-14-9-13

Caledonia AIA        7-4-0-3-14-17-12

Malabar YS             7-2-1-4-9-15-7

Blast FC                     6-1-1-4-3-14-4

Cantaro United      7-0-0-7-4-29–0

Group B Standings (Tabulated as played-won-drew-lost-goals for-goals against-points)

Pt Fortin Youth FA 7-5-2-0-17–8–17

Gasparillo Youths   7-4-1-2-16-8-13

Central Soccer         7-4-1-2-12-9-13

Made In La Brea     7-3-1-3-14-10-10

Kamillionare FC     7-1-1-5-10-18-4

Moruga FC                7-1-0-6-13-29–3