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TT Premier Football League champions Defence Force (62 points) capped off a fine 2024/25 league campaign when they defeated Prisons FC 4-1 at the St James Police Barracks on June 1 to end with an unbeaten record this season.
It was Defence Force's 20th league win of the campaign, and four different players got on the scoresheet as they got the better of the tenth-placed Prisons team. Midfielders Rivaldo Coryat and Darius Olliveira scored in the 20th and 39th minutes as Defence Force breached the Prisons rearguard with some silky combination play down the right flank. Coryat tapped in from close range after Olliveira worked a one-two with speedy winger Shaquille Bertrand. Olliveira then calmly passed the ball into the Prisons net after exchanging a series of passes on the edge of the area with Coryat.
Defence Force took a 2-0 lead into the halftime interval, with Prisons pulling a goal back in the 64th minute when defender Aaron Peters headed past custodian Christopher Biggette. After a scramble in the penalty area, Peters found himself all alone at the back post to halve the deficit despite protests for an offside call by the Army/Coast Guard combination.
Prisons showed signs of life in the attacking third and were unlucky not to draw level in the 86th minute when winger Brendan Figuera banged an effort off the bar from a tight angle on the left side of the box.
At the next end in the 87th minute, Defence Force opened up a 3-1 lead after a deadly counter-attack as midfielder Jameel Cooper slammed a left-footed shot into the roof of the net after teammate Nicholas Bobcome was denied by the Prions goalkeeper. Two minutes later, the Densill Theobald-coached team put the result beyond all doubt when Kendall Hitlal bundled into the net from close range after a goalmouth scramble in the Prisons box.
Defence Force and Soca Warriors right back Isaiah Garcia, who was named Man of the Match, heaped praises on his team for the determination they showed during the league campaign.
"We all contributed to the unbeaten season and I just wanted to do my part," Garcia said after the match. "Discipline was the key thing. From the staff, the management all the way down to the players. We had that drive, that thirst and that hunger, pushing through everything – all adversities.
"Even when we didn't want to do it, we were doing it, through injuries, rain, storm. We were coming out and putting in the work. Discipline is the keyword there. After God, it was discipline," the bustling defender said.
Defence Force assistant coach Devorn Jorsling, a feared striker during his time in the TT Pro League, said one of the team's objectives has been met.
"It has been a brilliant season for us. I think to go undefeated – I think that has never happened in history. When we set out in preseason, we didn't envisage this. Our goal was to win the league, but we didn't know it would have happened in this style," Jorsling said.
"We have to say congratulations to the management team, the players, the staff, the head coach Densill Theobald. Now, the work has got a little tougher going into the CFU qualifiers (Concacaf Caribbean Cup)."
Defence Force skipper Kevin Molino, who finished the league with 16 goals alongside teammate Isaiah Leacock, was highlighted as the team's player of the season by Jorsling.
The second-placed MIC Central FC Reboot (46 points) will join Defence Force in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup. with Miscellaneous Police FC (45 points) and 2023/24 champions AC Port of Spain (40 points) qualifying for the CFU Club Shield after finishing third and fourth respectively.
The draw for the Concacaf Caribbean Cup will be held on June 3.

TTFPL tier one standings:
Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
Defence Force FC*22*20*2*0*81*19*62*62
Central FC*22*15*1*6*61*31*30*46
Police FC*22*16*3*3*5*62*37*25*45
AC PoS*22*11*7*4*48*26*22*40
Jabloteh*22*11*5*6*46*33*13*38
Club Sando*22*10*4*8*39*24*15*34
Caledonia*22*10*3*9*35*46*-11*33
La Horquetta Rangers*22*4*10*8*36*43*-7*22
1976 FC Phoenix*22*4*6*12*23*46*-23*18
Prisons FC*22*3*5*14*24*48*-24*14
Eagles FC*22*3*3*16*18*76*-58*12
Point Fortin Civic*22*3*1*18*17*61*-44*7
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