TRINIDAD and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) runners-up AC Port of Spain will need a win on Wednesday versus Martinique champions Golden Lion FC at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, if they are to keep their hopes of advancing from the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.
AC PoS currently sit bottom of group A with no points from their two matches, following road defeats to Moca FC (1-0) and Cavalier FC (2-1) on August 25 and 31 respectively. Meanwhile, Golden Lion are yet to earn a point in the five-team group, as they were beaten 1-0 by inaugural TTPFL winners Defence Force on August 30 in their lone match thus far.
From 6 pm on Wednesday in Mucurapo, the talented AC PoS team will need to change their fortunes immediately.
"The team is ready to play. I think we were ready to play from the time the tournament started. But sometimes, these things do happen," said AC PoS coach and technical director, Gilbert Bateau, speaking at Tuesday's pre-match press briefing.
"We don't have any points just yet. But looking at the standings right now, it gives us a window of opportunity where we can compete and try and win these two games."
Up to press time, Defence Force and Cavalier led group A with four points apiece, although the youthful Jamaican team had a slight edge over the Army on goal difference and played Moca in a late kickoff on Tuesday night. After four group matches, the top two teams will advance to the Caribbean Cup semifinals, while the tournament winner qualifies for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16. The Caribbean Cup runners-up and third-place team will qualify for round one of that competition.
AC PoS captain Duane Muckette featured in TT's two Concacaf Nations League (CNL) A wins over Curacao and El Salvador on September 7 and 10 respectively. The midfielder says his team is now in a "do-or-die" situation and he is confident they can turn things around.
"The team is ready. We have prepared well. We understand the position that we have put ourselves in," Muckette said. "We just have to do what we can do to give ourselves the best chance of progressing to the next phase.
"It's very important for us to bounce back. We are actually in a do-or-die situation now to get the points. We have to give everything because we still have a chance to progress from this tournament. Those were two good results for the national team and obviously, I was a part of it and it boosted my confidence. It allows me to bring confidence to my team here as well."
AC PoS have experienced TT internationals such as goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and defender Radanfah Abu Bakr within their ranks, as well as a promising midfield quartet that includes Che Benny, Michel Poon-Angeron, John-Paul Rochford and Muckette. AC PoS scored over 60 goals in the TTPFL season, but they have been unable to replicate their goal-scoring touch on the regional stage so far.
Bateau says his team has been unlucky in front of goal, and they are working on their production in the attacking third.
"To give out the game plan here right now wo
