Tyrone Charles, the Central FC winger, scored the fastest goal of the First Citizens Cup in his team’s 2-1 triumph over Defence Force during Match Day Three round of action at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain Couva.
Charles found the nets after just 30 seconds for his opener, before delivering the lethal blow in the 46th, despite Brent Sam’s item two minutes into time added on in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday night. And in the other match, Kareem Freitas got the lone goal in the 71st minute to silence champs W Connection 1-0.
The win took the Sharks second in the Immortelle Group on goal difference with six points, similar to the Army Coast-Guard Combination.
Charles after only half a minute lifted a brilliantly-timed Duane Muckette feed over advancing goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke to stun their opponents, which led the group going into the game. And it was almost déjà vu at the start of the second half, this time Charles found the net exactly a minute after the half-time interval resumed for his team’s second.
The speedy winger raced on to a through ball and smashed the ball past Clarke to leave the Marvin Gordon-coached Defence Force bewildered. But the Army, known for its persistence, did not give up and were unlucky not to draw level when a rasping drive by veteran striker Devorn Jorsling came off the crossbar before sailing to safety.
They would, however, not be denied when Sam scored late in the game to continue his scoring record by making it three goals in as many matches.
After the game Walt Noreiga, the Central assistant coach said, “Preparation all week was about nullifying the Defence Force and playing on the counter. We know their strong points and we simply tried to play their 4-3-3 system to counter-attack their style of play.”
According to Noreiga, “It wasn’t part of the plan to score that early on either side of the half, but it is one of the ways that we were trying to get forward as quick as possible. We know all teams start slow and that’s what we took advantage of at the start and at the restart.”
In the Abercrombie Group, the Richard Hood-coached Police, with six points in two games, moved to the top, but only ahead of W Connection by goal difference. Freitas’ 71st-minute strike gave his team a rare win over the Savonetta Boys
W Connection failed to clear Clevon Mc Fee’s right side corner and Freitas controlled nicely on his chest, before drilling the ball past goalkeeper Julani Archibald.
Stuart Charles-Fevrier’s W Connection paid the ultimate price for failing to convert a number of simple chances, including a glaring opportunity for Kadeem Corbin, the former TT youth star, who found himself on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but put it wide.
Yesterday Morvant Caledonia United got goals from Quincy Ballah in the 12th and Osaze Springer in the 24th minute to shut-out last year’s T&T Pro League champions North East Stars 2-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima.
RESULTS:
Friday 22 June:
• Central FC- 2 (Tyrone Charles 1’, 46’) v Defence Force FC- 1 (Brent Sam 90’+2), at Ato Boldon Stadium;
• Police FC 1 (Kareem Freitas 71’) v W Connection 0, at Ato Boldon Stadium.
Saturday 23 June:
• North East Stars-0 v Morvant Caledonia United- 2 (Quincy Ballah 12th, Osaze Springer 24th, at Larry Gomes Stadium.
