North East Stars kicked of its 2015/2016 Digicel T&T Pro League campaign on a winning note, blanking debutants Club Sando 2-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, yesterday.
The scorers for the Sangre Grande-based club which is yet to capture a Pro League title were Alonzo Adlam in the 17th minute for a 1-0 half-time lead while Adrian Noel added the other item in the 59th.
The win saw Stars take an early lead on the ten-team table with three points, two more than the quartet of W Connection, Police FC, Defence Force and St Ann’s Rangers.
In yesterday’s other early match, former champions and last year’s runner-up W Connection battled to a 1-1 draw with Police FC, despite playing 70 minutes with ten men.
W Connection, coming off its final match in the Concacaf Champions League on Tuesday, was reduced to ten men as early as the 20th minute when goalkeeper Julani Archibald was shown a straight red card for handling the ball outside the 18-yard-box.
However, Police FC failed to take advantage and with nine minutes left in the match, W Connection took a 1-0 lead through veteran striker, Andre Toussaint, back with the club after more than five years away.
However, within three minutes, Makesi Lewis saved the blushes of Police by getting the equaliser after which both teams failed to find a winner.
Romeo’s power stuns Defence Force
On Friday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, St Ann’s Rangers made a positive start to its campaign by holding last season’s third-place finishers Defence Force and 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 champions Defence Force to a 1-1 draw in the season's opener.
A stunning strike in the 45th minute by debuting Argentina-born midfielder Miguel Romeo handed Rangers the lead, as the former Morvant Caledonia United and Central FC player spanked a right-footer from around 25-yards to find goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke’s top corner.
But Rangers’ joy was short-lived as veteran Defence Force midfielder, Jerwyn Balthazar, levelled the scores 1-1 from a a well-placed Kerry Joseph right side cross.
Defence Force, who were stunned by Rangers 2-1 in their previous meeting last May, even had an opportunity in the 67th minute from the penalty spot but Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Berkeley produced an excellent low save to deny the Pro League’s all-time leading scorer Devorn Jorsling.
Referee Crystal Sobers had pointed to the spot after first assistant referee Nicholas Augustus waved for a handball just inside the box against defender Jelani Peters. However it just wasn’t Defence Force’s night against a side that were determined to prove their worth after finishing last season at rock bottom with just one win in 24 league outings. Defence Force 's Richard Roy had two clear looks on goal, failing to even force Berkeley into action on both occasions in the 79th and 90th minutes. while in between those chances Berkeley saw a Stefan Campbell header cleared off his line by defender Sedale Mc Lean while he also did well to push a 24-yard Jorsling free-kick, over for a corner.
Last night, defending champions Central FC opened its campaign against Pt Fortin Civic at the Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin while today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Morvant Caledonia United and San Juan Jabloteh lock horns from 4 pm.
Pro League results
Yesterday:
W Connection 1 (Andre Toussaint 81st) vs Police FC 1 (Makesi Lewis 84th)
North East Stars 2 (Alonzo Adlam 17th, Adrian Noel 59th) vs Club Sando 0
Friday:
Defence Force 1 (Jerwyn Balthazar 45’+2) vs St. Ann’s Rangers 1 (Miguel Romeo 45’)
Today
(Sunday September 27):
Morvant Caledonia United vs San Juan Jabloteh, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 4 pm