Roneil Walcott
MERE days before the start of their 2025/26 league campaign, TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) holders Defence Force were given a rude wake-up call on the regional stage on October 22 when they were hammered 5-1 by Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant Football Academy in the first leg of their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semis at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
Having achieved a perfect record in the group phase of the tournament, coach Theodore Whitmore’s Mount Pleasant team were absolutely ruthless against the powerhouse Trinidad club and put on a commanding display from start to finish to place one foot in the Caribbean Cup final ahead of the return leg in Jamaica on October 29.
Interim Defence Force coach Devorn Jorsling said his team will virtually have a free hit for the return leg, but admitted his charges were totally outplayed on home turf in the first encounter.
“I think they were stronger and faster to the ball than us. Sometimes, when you lose you learn more. And what I saw is just that,” Jorsling said, at the post-match presser. “Myself, the coaching staff and the physical team, we have to do more in terms of being stronger, faster and fitter, because if you watch the overall game, that’s what they pipped us on.
“I wouldn’t say we were surprised because I know that’s basically Jamaica’s style. I believe we’re at a decent level, but tonight…it was men versus boys, if I’m being totally honest.”
From the opening whistle, the hosts looked to be caught off guard by the pace and direct approach from Mount Pleasant, as full back Christian Bailey committed a needless foul to stop Daniel Green’s run down the left flank after just two minutes. The movement of Green and midfielders Jahshaun Anglin and Raheem Edwards proved a threat to the hosts, and it was a slick one-two between Green and striker Warner Brown which unlocked Defence Force in the fifth minute as the latter opened the scoring with a left-footer which squeezed under the reach of goalie Christopher Biggette.
“I think we started slowly. They scored in the fifth minute and when that happened what you saw was us trying to get back one. We always left ourselves open,” Jorsling said.
In what was a breathtaking start from the visitors, they had a goal ruled out for offside in the ninth minute, before Biggette was called to make a save just four minutes later after miscommunication near the edge of the area between centre back Curtis Gonzales and defensive midfielder Cassim Kellar.
It didn’t take long for Mount Pleasant to get their second, though, as Edwards latched onto a long ball from defender Jamoi Topey in the 15th minute, before easily speeding past veteran defender Sheldon Bateau to beat Biggette with a crisp volley.
Jorsling’s team only really settled into the contest by the half-hour mark, but by that time, they looked ripe for the picking defensively under the constant pressure from the Jamaicans. In his post-match comments, Whitmore said a big key to dealing with Defence Force’s threats was nullifying playmaker Kevin Molino, who was named to Caribbean Cup Best XI for the group phase. The 35-year-old Molino was on the periphery for most of the game. And although the Army/Coast Guard combination didn’t have any shots on target in the first half, he featured in their brightest moments.
In the 26th minute, Molino played in Kaihim Thomas, only for the flanker to shoot into the side netting from close range. Eight minutes later, Thomas found Molino with a delightful ball over the top, but the latter also shot into the side-netting. Then, on the stroke of halftime, Molino just couldn’t sort out his feet in the area after Tyrese Bailey swung in a dangerous cross from the right.
Although his team scored five goals, Whitmore was still disappointed with the finishing, and both Brown and Edwards wasted great chances early in the second half after getting behind the Defence Force rear guard with ease. Edwards had quick redemption as he made it 3-0 in the 58th minute when Defence Force failed to deal with a left-side Mount Pleasant throw.
Late on, Mount Pleasant added to their tally as substitute Shaqueil Bradford scored in the 85th minute, before Kimoni Bailey made it 5-0 in stoppage time.
For the 800 fans who turned out to support the hosts, they got a goal to celebrate in the eight minute of second-half stoppage time when Thomas poked in from close range, much to the disgust of goalkeeper Tafari Chambers, who banged the playing surface.
Though facing an uphill task to play their way back into this semifinal tie, Jorsling said Defence Force are still focused on advancing to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, which is reserved for the top three teams in the Caribbean Cup.
“We will go to Jamaica and I see it as a free hit. We will go and try to win the game. It’s also an opportunity for me to give younger players in the squad a chance, but I will turn my focus to the third-place playoff,” Jorsling said.
“When we started out this campaign, the main objective was to get to the Concacaf Champions Cup and that’s still alive. And there’s a second leg. So, we regroup and refocus.
“We’re going (to Jamaica) with no expectations to qualify, but we will go with the attitude to try and win the game and we know funny things happen in football.”
O&M FC and last season’s Caribbean Cup runners-up Cibao FC – both from the Dominican Republic – are scheduled to meet in the first leg of their semifinals on October 23.
