'Zum Zum' punishes sloppy AC, bags another TTPFL hat-trick

For the second time in a fortnight, Trinidad and Tobago men's under-20 football captain Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia netted a hat-trick at the Phase 2 La Horquetta recreation ground to lead his San Juan Jabloteh team to victory in the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL). 

On March 6, Garcia opened his account for the season with a treble in a 5-0 win over 1976 FC Phoenix. Last night, the 19-year-old Garcia was at it again, as he netted a 14-minute hat-trick in the second half and took advantage of some calamitous defending by AC Port of Spain. The scores were tied at 1-1 at the half, with Garcia's second-half burst helping the sixth-placed Jabloteh (33 points) to a facile 4-1 win over the fifth-placed AC PoS (37 points). 

Funny enough, Garcia was involved in all five goals in the match, as both teams showed a fair level of generosity. In the fifth minute, it was a loose touch from Garcia, which led to the opener for AC PoS, as the youngster cheaply gave away possession in his own half with a heavy first touch. AC PoS worked the ball out right before midfielder Anthony Charles dug out a cross from the byline for flanker Josiah Wilson to slap in at the back stick. 

Just three minutes later, Jabloteh were back on level terms as Andell Fraser cut in on his right foot just inside the area to unleash a devious shot into the top corner and past Marvin Phillip after being picked out by Garcia. 

San Juan Jabloteh's Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia (left) gives AC Port of Spain's Josiah Wilson the slip during a TTPFL match last season. Photo courtesy TTPFL

Not taking anything away from Garcia's hat-trick, but it's unlikely that he'll score three easier goals for the length of his TTPFL career. For his sake, hopefully, the TTPFL is a stepping stone for bigger things. 

Garcia's first came in the 64th minute as AC PoS central defender Robert Primus played a needless pass into his own box after cutting out a run from winger Jaheim Faustin. Garcia took some time to size up Phillip before passing a right footer a few inches to the keeper's left. 

If the first AC PoS mistake wasn't enough, Charles laid the ball on a platter for Garcia in the 76th minute as he tried to find a teammate with a blind back pass. The goal could be deemed as a breakdown in structure and communication from AC PoS, as left back Jelani Peters and the left centre back Primus were both pushed up in the opposition's half for a right-side throw. With Charles being pressed inside the opposition half, he played a pass where he expected a teammate to be. With the other centre back, Daneil Cyrus, also a couple of steps into the Jabloteh half, Charles' pass turned out to be perfect for Garcia, who slotted away to Phillip's right this time. 

Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia (left) is congratulated by national under-20 teammate Phillip Nelson during a friendly earlier this year. Photo courtesy TTFA

Garcia's hat-trick came in the 78th minute, and on this occasion, he was assisted by somebody in green, Caden Trestrail. Again, AC PoS kept a relatively high line, which Trestrail and Garcia exploited as the latter rounded Phillip to slide into the net and put the exclamation point on the result. 

From 8 pm today, the second-placed Club Sando (45 points) can stall Defence Force's possible victory lap for another match day if they defeat Caledonia AIA in their matchup at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. The Army/Coast Guard combination lead the 12-team table with 49 points and have the solitary match left in the league season. Meanwhile, Sando have two matches left and can enter the final match day with their title aspirations still intact if they can get a win over the ninth-placed "Cale." 

Should Sando taste defeat today, the Army will be crowned TTPFL tier one champions for the third time in four seasons. 

Jereem starts Trinidad and Tobago's campaign at World Indoors

Former World Indoor 400-metre champ Jereem Richards will speed off this country's campaign at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland when he faces the starter in heat one of the men's 400m event from 6.56 am (TT time) tomorrow (March 20). 

The 32-year-old Richards will line up in lane six, with Slovenia's Lovro Mesec Kosir in lane three, Portugal's Ericsson Tavares in lane four, and Brazil's Matheus Lima in lane five. There will be six 400m heats in all, with the first two in each heat automatically moving onto the semifinals. The next four-fastest runners from the heats will also progress to the semis. Ranked number six in the world, Richards' season's best of 45.56 seconds is only bettered by Lima (45.54) in heat one.  

Of course, at last year's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Richards claimed silver in the 400m final in a national record time of 43.72, just dipping below the 43.78 time he clocked to finish an agonising fourth at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Fondly known as "The Dream," the Point Fortin native will certainly be visualising more success on the horizon. 

Trinidad and Tobago track and field stars Keshorn Walcott and Jereem Richards show off their respective 2025 World Athletics Championships gold and silver medals at a welcome reception at the Piarco International Airport on September 22, 2025. 

The 400m semis will run off at 3.44 pm (TT time) tomorrow, with the final set for 1.34 pm (TT time) on March 21. 

Richards will not be the only Trinidad and Tobago athlete in action on the opening day of competition, as 21-year-old Nathan Cumberbatch will line up in heat four of the men's 800m event from 8.42 am (TT time) tomorrow. A total of six 800m heats will be contested, with the top two in each heat moving directly to the semis. The six next-fastest runners will also progress to the semis, which will run off from 8.08 am (TT time) on March 21. 

Also on March 21, rising sprint queen Leah Bertrand will face the starter in the women's 60m heats, which speed off from 6.05 am (TT time). Meanwhile, from 5.20 am (TT time) on March 22, Tyra Gittens-Spotsville will contest the women's long jump final. 

The Trinidad and Tobago contingent at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland. Photo courtesy NAAATT's Facebook page 

Army lose to Sando, TTPFL lead cut to one point

TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) holders Defence Force (46 points) saw their lead atop the 2025/26 standings cut to one point tonight, as they lost 2-1 to the second-placed Club Sando (45 points) at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. 

With a victory, the Army/Coast Guard combination would have lifted the TTPFL tier one trophy with two games to spare. However, coach Devorn Jorsling's team never really hit top gear against Sando, with their performance instead mirroring their display in a 1-0 loss to Miscellaneous Police FC on the weekend. 

Ultimately, two defensive blunders from two experienced heads proved to be Defence Force's demise on the night, as the pair of Isaiah Garcia and Sheldon Bateau were culpable for the goals conceded. Starting the game in an unfamiliar centre back role, Garcia cheaply gave away possession in the third minute, before compounding the matter by clumsily bringing down the speedy Tarik Lee in the penalty area. Sando central midfielder Luke Phillips, arguably the best player on the night, calmly placed his left-footed penalty past goalkeeper Isaiah Williams to give Sando the 1-0 lead. 

In the 29th minute, it was Lee's turn to profit from an error, as he picked off a loose clearance from Bateau, who tried to deal with a lofted ball from Sando skipper Shervohnez Hamilton. Lee made no mistake with the gift and easily shot the ball past Williams and into the bottom corner. 

Club Sando central midfielder Luke Phillips celebrates his team's opening goal against Defence Force on March 18. Photo courtesy Club Sando's Instagram page

Bateau's woes didn't end there, as the central defender was shown a straight red by referee Andrew Samuel in the 85th minute for a dangerous high challenge near the half-line. At that stage, it was all hands on deck for Defence Force, who had received a lifeline deep into first-half stoppage-time from attacker Kathon St Hillaire. 

With his team desperately looking for answers and some inspiration, St Hillaire poked past goalie Teshorne Ragoo from close range after midfielder Justin Sadoo picked him out with a pass which just eluded a lunging Elton John. It was one of the rare moments Defence Force got behind an otherwise stubborn Sando backline. 

The Army did have their chances to get an equaliser, particularly in the early stages of the second half, but St Hillaire, neither the playmaking pair of Joevin Jones and Kevin Molino could find the magic touch their team needed. At the other end, Williams was doing his best to keep his team in the match, as he palmed away a firm drive from Phillips, while also cutting out a dangerous, low cross from Hamilton. Before Bateau was sent for an early shower, he too played his part in keeping Sando at bay as he put in an acrobatic block to stop a volley from Hamilton in the 68th minute. 

Club Sando land a big TTPFL victory over Defence Force. 

With the ten-man Army knowing that a draw would keep them four points ahead of Sando, they threw bodies forward. In the seventh minute of second-half stoppage-time, a window of opportunity appeared to be opening for substitute Tyrese Bailey at the back stick, but the ever-present Phillips made a brilliant challenge before the former could get his shot away. 

In the first game of the Hasely Crawford double-header, Prisons FC (41 points) moved up to third on the 12-team table when they came from behind to beat San Juan Jabloteh (30 points) 2-1. 

On March 20, Defence Force will hope to put their untimely skid to bed when they play Eagles. Meanwhile, on March 21, Club Sando will tackle Caledonia AIA as they aim to keep their own title aspirations alive. 

Trinidad and Tobago netballers eager to defend Jean Pierre crown

Trinidad and Tobago's under-16 netball team are ready to pull out all the stops in defence of their Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Tournament title when the 2026 edition of the competition jumps off from April 11-17 at UWI Spec in St Augustine. 

Last April, the team coached by Sojourner Hyles-Lewis and assistant Simone Morgan secured the title for the first time when they went unbeaten in the tourney, which was held in Barbados. TT's Shian Lewis, who's also a national middle-distance runner at the junior level, copped the MVP award, with teammate Makayla Grant earning the most accurate shooter honour. 

Members of Trinidad and Tobago's under-16 netball team strike a pose. File photo courtesy Netball TT

The 22nd edition of the Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Tournament is expected to be a bumper one, with the hosts, TT, welcoming Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia for a week of nonstop action. 

A Netball TT release said, "Fans can expect a week of exciting and competitive netball as teams battle for regional supremacy while showcasing the next generation of Caribbean netball talent." 

Trinidad and Tobago's Makayla Grant (L) in action against Grenada at the 2025 Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball  Tournament. Photo courtesy Akil Pegus

Senegal stripped of AFCON title; set to appeal to CAS

After Senegal were stripped of their 2025/26 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title courtesy of a bombshell ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 17, the Senegalese Football Federation (SFF) has indicated its desire to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 

In its ruling, the CAF Appeal Board found the Senegal team guilty of breaching Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the CAF AFCON, thus seeing their initial 1-0 victory over Morocco on January 18 being overturned to a 3-0 result in the Moroccans' favour. 

Photo courtesy Confederation of African Football

Article 82 reads, "If, for any reason whatsoever, a team withdraws from the competition or does not report for a match, or refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered looser (sic) and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition."

Article 84 cemented the ruling for the Appeal Board. Article 84 says, "The team which contravenes the provisions of articles 82 and 83 shall be eliminated for good from the competition. This team will lose its match by 3-0 unless the opponent has scored a more advantageous result at the time when the match was interrupted; in this case, this score will be maintained." 

The SFF doesn't plan to go down without a fight, though, and late on March 17, it signalled its intentions to tackle the matter head-on. 

"The Senegalese Football Federation denounces an unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision that discredits African football," an SFF release said. 

"To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the federation will initiate, as soon as possible, an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne." 

The SFF said it remains committed to upholding the values and integrity of sporting justice. 

 A snapshot of Articles 82-84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations. 

In an AFCON final which was tense and heated at times, the Senegalese felt aggrieved when a late goal from star forward Ismaila Sarr was disallowed for an infringement. With the scores goalless deep into second-half stoppage-time, the Moroccans were awarded a penalty after a VAR review, with defender El Hadji Malick Diouf adjudged to have fouled in the area. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw was livid, and he ordered his players off the field in protest. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and most of the Senegal players even headed back to the dressing room, with veteran forward Sadio Mane imploring his teammates to return to the playing field. 

After a delay of over 15 minutes, the Senegal players returned. The lanky Mendy had the easiest of tasks as he saved a tame "Panenka" effort from Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz. Senegal's elation then soared through the roof in the 94th minute, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive extra-time goal. 

Roughly eight weeks later, the Senegalese are now learning the true ramifications of their actions, with CAF effectively awarding the trophy to Morocco. 

The CAF Appeal Board confirmed that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was fined up to US$ 160,000 for some of the actions of their team and supporters in the controversial final. A US$ 50,000 fine was imposed on the FRMF for the conduct of their ball boys, a US$ 100,000 fine was imposed on the Moroccans for interference in the VAR review area, while a US$ 10,000 fine was imposed for a laser incident during the match.