Army fall to 12-0 aggregate loss in Champions Cup

Defence Force may be the only unbeaten team remaining in the 2025/26 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) season, but they were exposed to a different level in the Concacaf Champions Cup, falling to a 12-0 aggregate loss to Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park in Pennsylvania on February 26. 

The Army/Coast Guard combination was no match for the Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit, as a 5-0 first-leg loss at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last week was followed by a 7-0 thumping away from home. With no realistic chance of overturning the deficit in the round-one tie, coach Devorn Jorsling was without two of his most experienced players, as Joevin Jones served a suspension, while captain Kevin Molino didn't make the trip. 

Philadelphia Union line up for the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup clash with Defence Force. Photos courtesy Philadelphia Union's Facebook page 

Sixteen-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan was the star of the show for Philadelphia, as he scored a brace late on and also set up a couple of goals. Giant striker Stas Korzeniowski also bagged a brace as the MLS club ran a riot in their home opener for the 2026 season. 

Amazingly, the Army had no shots in the game, and their brightest moment arguably came in the fifth minute when flanker Christian Bailey was played in over the top. Bailey delayed when through on goal, though, and his chance quickly disappeared. By the 12th minute, Defence Force's nightmare in the Champions Cup continued, as they were 3-0 down in the blink of an eye. 

Geiner Martinez opened the scoring in the seventh minute after a set piece, Jovan Lukic converted from the penalty spot in the tenth minute after a rash challenge from Shirwin Noel, while Korzeniowski finished off a flowing right-side move two minutes later. 

Jorsling and his charges will struggle to find positives from the two-legged affair, and stand-in captain Jelani Felix said the tie shows the team needs to get stronger and fitter, and improve their concentration at this level. 

While Philadelphia were in a class of their own, Defence Force's demise was also some of their own doing, evidenced by the home team's fourth goal, which came after Noel tried to chess-trap a cross in his own area in the 48th minute. The score swelled to 5-0 by the 53rd minute, with Sullivan adding gloss to the scoreline with his double which came in the 76th and 88th minutes. 

All smiles: Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan

Philadelphia will now contest Club America in the Champions Cup Round of 16, with the Army returning to a kinder schedule when they face 1976 FC Phoenix in a TTPFL clash on March 4. 

Defence Force starting XI: Isaiah Williams (GK); Isaiah Garcia, Russel Francois, Shirwin Noel, Jelani Fleix; Rivaldo Coryat, Joshua Araujo-Wilson; Christian Bailey, Adriel George, Tyrese Bailey; Kathon St Hillaire. 

Trinidad and Tobago U-20s whip Barbados 5-1

Trinidad and Tobago's men's under-20 football team got their first win of the Concacaf Men's Under-20 qualifiers on February 26 when they hammered fellow Caribbean team Barbados 5-1 in Alajuela, Costa Rica, to shoot to the group E summit. 

It was a much-improved showing from the TT team which drew 2-2 with Bermuda in a scrappy opener two days ago. Coach Marvin Gordon took full responsibility for the result against Bermuda, and signalled his intentions early for their second matchup by making as many as four changes to his starting lineup. 

Those changes perhaps had the desired effect as TT certainly started on the front foot, opening up a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes. First, in the fifth minute, combative midfielder Josiah Ochoa calmly rolled in at the back post when Barbados failed to deal with a short corner from captain Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia. Four minutes later, TT's lead was doubled when left back Jaydon Caprietta beat goalie Damario Harewood from a tight angle. 

Just before halftime, TT got their third when lively playmaker Dominic Joseph passed into the net from close range after Chaz Williams picked him out with ease from the right byline. Both Joseph and Williams were brought into the starting XI for this game, with the former replacing his namesake Colin Joseph and Williams taking the place of speedster Malachi Webb, who operated on the right flank in TT's opener. It was Dominic's second goal of the tourney, as he came off the bench to briefly give TT the lead against Bermuda in the first clash. 

Trinidad and Tobago men's under-20 central midfielder Jadon McShine (centre) makes a pass against Bermuda, with teammate Dominic Joseph (right) watching on keenly. Photo courtesy TTFA

In the 70th minute, Swansea City Academy player Josiah Kallicharan came off the bench to make it 4-0 when he calmly finished off a ball over the top from Garcia. Though the win wasn't in doubt, there were a few shaky moments at the back for Gordon's charges. In the 75th minute, goalie Bryan Gafiuk did brilliantly to save a penalty from Barbados' Jordan Bryan, who was brought down by a retreating Jadon McShine. 

In stoppage-time, an irate Gafiuk had his clean sheet spoiled when Tre Moore headed in a beautiful left-side cross from Kamari Johnson. Before the Bajan consolation, Garcia got his name on the scoresheet in the 90th minute when Harewood made a meal of a stinging free kick from the TT number ten. 

With four points to show from their first two matches, the TT boys will enjoy a few days of rest before returning to action in Alajuela with a match against Sint Maarten on March 2. 

Only the group winner will advance to the Concacaf Under-20 Championships later this year, and coach Gordon and his staff will surely keep a keen eye on hosts Costa Rica, who play Sint Maarten and Barbados on February 26 and 28, respectively. 

Trinidad and Tobago U-20s play to Bermuda draw

In November, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda played to a 2-2 draw as the teams ended their Fifa 2026 World Cup qualification campaigns. On February 24 in Alajuela, Costa Rica, the two nations again showed there was precious little to choose between them as their men's under-20 football teams battled to a 2-2 draw to kickstart their qualifying campaigns towards the 2027 Fifa Men's Under-20 World Cup. 

With Costa Rica on a bye to start group E of the Concacaf qualifiers, TT and Bermuda had the chance to take an early lead in the group after Barbados and Sint Maarten played to a draw earlier in the day. At the end of a scrappy and sometimes chaotic affair at the windy Costa Rican Football Federation Field venue, neither coach should say their team's display warranted all three points. 

TT's lineup was an enticing one on paper, as speedy forwards Malachi Wibb and captain Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia flanked striker Phillip Nelson up top, while ball-playing midfielders Josiah Ochoa and Caden Trestrail operated as a double-pivot in the middle of the park. Whether down to nerves or the trying breezy conditions, TT never really found fluidity in their build-up play, although they did create a handful of chances in transition. 

Trinidad and Tobago's men's under-20 football team line up for friendly action. Photo courtesy TTFA

Without a true "number six" or gritty ball-winner in the middle of the park, TT often looked bare on the defensive end as Bermuda broke down their lines with ease. In the 24th minute, TT should have taken the lead, but Garcia blazed a volley well over the bar after Nelson went on a mazy run through the heart of the Bermuda defence. 

In the 38th minute, TT's own defensive shortcomings were found out as Kennahz Fray split the defence with a raking pass out to the left flank, allowing Jace Donawa to coast past right back Talan McMillan and round goalie Bryan Gafiuk to score. 

Coach Marvin Gordon's response was immediate for TT, as he made a triple substitution at halftime, which saw Jadon McShine, Dominic Joseph, and Chaz Williams enter the game for Trestrail, Webb, and Colin Joseph, who started in the number ten role behind Nelson. Mere moments into the second half, TT were fortunate not to have Ochoa sent off, as the midfielder committed a naughty foul while already on a booking. The St Benedict's College man was swiftly subbed off in the 53rd minute, with winger Giovanni Hospedales taking his place. 

Though the team's buildup play remained disjointed, the speedy threat on the counter-attack also persisted. Just past the hour mark, Hospedales was denied by goalie David Martin after being played in by Garcia, while Dominic had a stinging right-footed shot brilliantly tipped over in the 64th minute. In between those TT chances, Gafiuk kept his team in the game when he saved with his feet to deny a surging Donawa, who had been played in with a long ball. 

With TT supposedly running out of answers, lively Swansea City Academy player Josiah Kallicharan provided a much-needed spark off the bench. In the space of a minute, the lanky Kallicharan played a hand in two goals as TT stunned Bermuda to take a 2-1 lead. In the 78th minute, Kallicharan squared from the byline into the six-yard box, with defender Emeer Peets unfortunately bundling the ball past his own keeper with Nelson in hot pursuit. Just seconds later, Kallicharan slipped in Dominic, who spanked a right-footer into the corner to give TT the unlikely lead. 

In a game which saw TT conceding numerous needless free kicks, Bermuda responded with an 84th-minute equaliser as substitute James Morrison beat Gafiuk with a looping header from a deep Khari Sharrief set piece. 

Both teams tried desperately for a late winner, but settled for a share of the spoils. With only the group winner advancing to the Concacaf Under-20 Championship later this year, TT will surely need improved performances if they are to top the hosts and win this group. TT will next play Barbados on February 26. 

TT starting team (4-2-3-1): 1.Bryan Gafiuk (GK); 14.Talan McMillan, 3.Sheridan McNish, 4.Adam Pierre, 5.Jaydon Caprietta; Caden Trestrail, 8.Josiah Ochoa; 7.Malachi Webb, 12.Colin Xavier Joseph, 10.Derrel Garcia (c); 9.Phillip Nelson. 

Trinidad and Tobago land March 15 friendly with Bolivia

Trinidad and Tobago's men's football team are likely to have a busy period over the next month, as they have landed a March 15 friendly with Bolivia. The Bolivia friendly will be followed by matches in the Fifa Series against Venezuela and Gabon on March 27 and 30, respectively. The Bolivia friendly comes outside of the Fifa international match window, which runs from March 23-31. 

The upcoming matches for the Dwight Yorke-coached team were confirmed by the TT Football Association (TTFA) on February 23. 

The Bolivia game will be played at the Estadio Ramon Tahuichi, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. When TT Bolivia met in a friendly in Sucre in January 2022, the then Agus Eve-coached team suffered a heavy 5-0 loss. Some of the players who featured in that game for TT were Justin Garcia, Neveal Hackshaw, Alvin Jones, Molik Jesse Khan, Reon Moore, Noah Powder, and Ryan Telfer.  

Trinidad and Tobago men's football team line up for a World Cup qualifier against Bermuda at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in November 2025. Photo courtesy TT Football Association 

TT are currently 97th on the Fifa rankings, with Bolivia ranked at 76th. Bolivia placed seventh in CONMEBOL's World Cup qualifying. The match comes at a contrasting time for the two teams as Bolivia are preparing for a Fifa 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff with Suriname on March 26, while TT will be involved in the Fifa Series in Uzbekistan, having missed out on a spot in this year's World Cup. The winner of the playoff match between Bolivia and Suriname will take on Iraq for a place at the World Cup. 

The TTFA release said details regarding squad announcements and match coverage will be communicated via its official platforms in due course. 

Six-hitting Windies crush Zimbabwe by 107 runs

West Indies opened their Super 8s campaign at the 2026 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's T20 World Cup with a storming 107-run win over Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 23. 

Both teams started the day with unbeaten records from the group stage, but Zimbabwe proved no match for the powerful Windies, who smashed 19 sixes in their innings en route to posting 254 for six – the second-highest total in the history of the Men's T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe were never in the hunt in the chase, as they were bowled out for just 147, with the left-arm spin pair of Gudakesh Motie (four for 28) and Akeal Hosein (three for 28) doing the bulk of the damage. 

After captain Sikandar Raza called correctly at the toss, the Zimbabweans had a good start to the power play as pacers Richard Ngarava (two for 47) and Brad Evans (one for 46) accounted for the pair of Brandon King (nine) and Shai Hope (14), respectively. In the fourth over, though, Zimbabwe missed a big trick when Tashinga Musekiwa dropped Shimron Hetmyer on the backward square leg boundary with the Windies score on 26 for one. Hetmyer was on nine at the time, and the left-hander went on to take Raza (0 for 52) and leg-spinner Graeme Cremer (one for 38) to the cleaners in a game-changing innings of 85 from 34 balls.

West Indies star batsman Shimron Hetmyer. Photo courtesy ICC

Dropped by Musekiwa for a second time when on 70, Hetmyer crashed seven sixes and seven fours and shared in a 122-run partnership for the third wicket with former captain Rovman Powell (59 off 35). It was Hetmyer's highest score in T20 Internationals, with his belligerent knock pushing him to 219 runs in the tourney, just a run shy of the tournament's leading run scorer, Sahibzada Farhan. 

It was also a nice return to form for Powell, who had scored 47 runs in his three previous innings in this year's tourney. With some lusty blows from Sherfane Rutherford (31 not out off 13), Jason Holder (13 off four), and the returning Romario Shepherd (21 off ten), the West Indies didn't let up at the back end and hammered 75 runs off the last five overs to get the highest score at this year's World Cup. 

Facing a near-impossible task, the Zimbabweans slipped to 20 for three by the third over as Hosein joined the party by dismissing Brian Bennett (five) and Ryan Burl (duck) in quick succession. Dion Meyers got to 28 off 15 before he was cleaned up by Motie in the seventh over, while Raza made 27 off 20 and shared in a 42-run partnership with Tony Munyonga (14) before both batsmen were outdone by the guile of Motie in the middle overs. 

With Zimbabwe reeling at 103 for nine, Evans (43 off 21) brought some respectability to his team's total by smashing massive sixes off Holder (one for 25) and Shamar Joseph (0 for 35) in consecutive overs. The match result was never in doubt, though, as Matthew Forde (two for 27) returned in the 18th over to get the scalp of Evans with a slower ball to seal West Indies' commanding victory. 

The Windies will return to action on February 26 with a matchup against South Africa, while Zimbabwe will face co-hosts and tournament holders India later that same day. 

The top two teams in the two Super 8 groups will progress to the semis. 

Summarised Scores: 

WEST INDIES – 254/6 from 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 85, Rovman Powell 59, Sherfane Rutherford 31 not out; Blessing Muzarabani 2/42, Richard Ngarava 2/47) vs ZIMBABWE – 147 from 17.4 overs (Brad Evans 43, Dion Myers 28, Sikandar Raza 27; Gudakesh Motie 4/28, Akeal Hosein 3/28). West Indies win by 107 runs. 

Hope wants more ruthless approach from Windies batsmen

West Indies skipper Shai Hope would like to see a more purposeful approach from his batsmen as they move into the Super 8 phase of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup from February 23. 

The Windies finished atop group C with a perfect record after defeating newcomers Italy by 42 runs in their final group match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on February 19. Speaking at the post-match ceremony after the victory over the Italians, Hope said the bowlers have got their execution down to a T thus far in the tourney, but reckoned there’s still room for improvement in the batting department. 

“It's a fine margin. Yes, we know we have batting depth, but batting smarts still need to be applied, especially when you're coming up against opposition – it's international cricket – that can get you on any day,” Hope said, when asked about the team’s ability to recover from the loss of early wickets. 

“You've still got to be clinical and ruthless with the way you go about your strokeplay. As much depth as we have, we still have to make sure we capitalise on those deliveries. Regardless of who's out there in the middle, we've got to make sure we do it for the team.” 

The Windies captain top-scored with a typically fluent 75 off 46 balls against Italy. However, the rest of the batsmen weren’t flowing as smoothly against the Europeans as the West Indies eventually got to a modest score of 165 for six after being asked to bat first. Both Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford made 24, while Matthew Forde chipped in at the back end with 16 not out off eight balls. 

West Indies captain Shai Hope (L) and Roston Chase run between the wickets at the 2026 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's T20 World Cup. Photo courtesy ICC

Hope spoke to his team’s unfamiliarity with the majority of Italy’s bowlers, but said his charges must improve if they are faced with similar challenges going forward. 

“I felt we could have put a little more impetus into the innings, especially in the middle. But again, all learnings to take from it,” he said. “If we're ever faced with that situation again, we have to find ways to be a bit more enforceful, especially when you've got better opposition to play. Not putting anything against Italy, but when crunch time comes, you've got to ensure you're capitalising on more deliveries.” 

For the third time in four matches, the Windies bowled out their opponents as the Italians only got up to 123 from 18 overs. Shamar Joseph cleaned up the tail and finished with career-best T20 figures of four for 30, while Forde set the tone again in the power play and took three for 19 in his four overs. Left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie (two for 24) and Akeal Hosein (one for 25) were also among the wickets. 

“I'm very proud of the bowling group. They're just executing really well. And not only from this tour, but even from a few series ago. We're just hitting the straps where we need to. I just feel as though the confidence and clarity we find in our bowlers gives us a lot clearer execution,” he said. 

“In this situation, it's about doing it over and over and doing it all the way through until we can get as far in the competition as we can get.” 

The Men in Maroon face surprise package and group B winners Zimbabwe in their first Super 8 match in Mumbai on February 23, before playing group D winners South Africa on February 26 and reigning champs India on March 1. The top two teams in each of the Super 8 groups will advance to the semis which will be played on March 4 and 5, respectively. The final will be played on March 8. 

Windies stay winning, enter Super 8s with perfect record

West Indies continued their winning ways at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup when they got a 42-run win over newcomers Italy at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on February 19 to finish group C play with a perfect record. 

Sent to bat first, the Windies made a modest score of 165 for six on the back of a brilliant fifty from skipper Shai Hope (75 off 46 balls). With ball in hand, West Indies showed their quality again as they bowled out Italy for 123, with pacers Shamar Joseph (four for 30) and Matthew Forde (three for 19) leading the way in another clinical performance. It was a unique effort in the field for Joseph, who complemented a career-best T20 haul by taking four catches. 

For the Windies, it wasn’t the most fluent display with the bat by any stretch, with Hope pointing to a mixture of good bowling from the Italians and a general unfamiliarity with their bowling weapons. The Windies were rocked twice early on, as opening batsman Brandon King (four) was dismissed in the second over, while Shimron Hetmyer (one) was spectacularly caught at short third man off pacer Thomas Draca in the fifth over of the match. 

From L-R: Shimron Hetmyer, Matthew Forde, and Shamar Joseph celebrate a wicket against Scotland. Photo courtesy Windies Cricket

With Hope leading from the front with six fours and four sixes, he stitched together a 64-run partnership for the third wicket with countryman Roston Chase (24 off 25) to take the West Indies to 95 for three. Hope and former captain Rovman Powell (nine) fell in quick succession as West Indies slipped to 115 for five, but timely cameos from Sherfane Rutherford (24 not out off 15) and Forde (16 not out off eight) saw the regional team score 50 runs in the last five overs. 

After a solid bowling display, Italy were trying to land a big scalp before hitting the World Cup exit door. However, their power play struggles continued as they slipped to 37 for three by the sixth over with Forde grabbing two early scalps. The speedy Joseph joined the party in his first over when he removed Italy captain Harry Manenti (eight), with Gudakesh Motie striking soon after as the Europeans slipped to 78 for five at the end of the 12th over. 

The writing was on the wall thereafter as the last five Italian wickets fell for just 45 runs, with Joseph wrapping up the tail with the scalps of Thomas Draca (five) and last man Ali Hasan (duck) in the 18th over. 

With a flawless record to show from their group stage exploits, West Indies will now start the Super 8s phase against Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on February 23. West Indies’ remaining Super 8 matches will be played against 2024 T20 World Cup finalists South Africa and India on February 26 and March 1, respectively. India defeated the South Africans by seven runs to lift the 2024 title at Kensington Oval, Barbados. 

Summarised Scores: 

WEST INDIES: 165/6 from 20 overs (Shai Hope 75, Sherfane Rutherford 24 not out, Roston Chase 24, Matthew Forde 16 not out; Crishan Kalugamage 2/25, Benjamin Manenti 2/37) vs ITALY: 123 from 18 overs (B Manenti 26, JJ Smuts 24, Anthony Mosca 19; Shamar Joseph 4/30, Matthew Forde 3/19). West Indies won by 42 runs. 

Army whipped by Philadelphia in Concacaf Champions Cup

On a night when they would have been hoping for some Ash Wednesday blessings to fall their way, Defence Force had a terrible return to the Concacaf Champions Cup as they were whipped 5-0 by Philadelphia Union at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on February 18. 

The first leg could not have possibly gone worse for the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) reigning champions, as their Major League Soccer (MLS) guests dominated from start to finish, while the hosts lost playmaker Joevin Jones to a sending-off in second-half stoppage-time. Not for the first time on this Concacaf journey, coach Devorn Jorsling will have to try to lift his team’s spirits after a heavy defeat on home soil. On this occasion, though, the campaign looks destined for an inauspicious end. 

It was a relatively cautious start to the game by both teams, as the Army tried to sit back and strike on the break through makeshift lone striker Kathon St Hillaire, while Philadelphia tried to work neat, swift combinations through the midfield and up to their giant strikers Ezekiel Alladoh and Stas Korzeniowski. Defence Force fashioned a pair of half-chances in the opening 20 minutes, as St Hillaire fired wildly over the bar after being freed on the counter by Justin Sadoo, while Jones slammed an ambitious long-range volley over the bar as well. 

Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan (L) and Bruno Damiani (R) celebrate a goal against Defence Force in their Concacaf Champions Cup clash at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on February 18. Photo courtesy Concacaf 

By the end of the first half, though, Philadelphia clearly had the measure of their hosts. They opened up a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals from Alladoh and Man of the Match Milan Iloski, who opened the scoring with a peach of a free kick past goalie Isaiah Williams in the 29th minute. With captain and playmaker Kevin “Nash” Molino often hounded by two and three markers in the midfield, Defence Force offered very little by way of an attacking threat and mustered just four shots in the game, one of which was on target. 

Asserting their dominance ahead of the return leg in Pennsylvania on February 26, Philadelphia went 3-0 up in the 64th minute when towering defender Olwethu Makhanya headed in from a right-side Iloski corner. In the 69th minute, Williams was picking the ball out of his net again as substitute Bruno Damiani scored via a deflection with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area. 

Almost to rub salt in the wounds, Defence Force conceded again in the 81st minute after Grenadian referee Reon Radix consulted VAR to award a penalty to Philadelphia. Damiani made no mistake from the spot and got his team’s fifth goal – and his brace – despite a touch from the sprawling Williams. 

Before the 1,300-strong crowd in the second minute of stoppage-time, Jones, arguably his team’s most lively player on the night, was sent for an early shower when he received his second yellow card of the match. 

Defence Force still have a second leg to look forward to, but it looks like their Champions Cup run will end abruptly in round one.