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• Jamaica to host T&T U-17s for two friendly games in week-long camp

  Jamaica's Under-17 team will host their Trinidad and Tobago counterparts for two international friendly encounters this weekend.

  The games, which forms part of a week-long camp for both teams, will also see the young Soca Warriors, who are scheduled to arrive in the island on Wednesday, lock horns with a local club team during their visit. The first game is scheduled for the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, CHBC on Friday at 4:00pm, while the second encounter will take place on Sunday at 9:00am.

  Trinidad and Tobago will then close their visit against the youth team of a prominent club, next Tuesday.

  Both the young Reggae Boyz, to be guided by former Reggae Boy midfielder Altimont "Freddy" Butler, Carlton Simmonds and Vassel Reynolds, and the Shawn Cooper-coached young Soca Warriors are preparing for the Concacaf Men's Under-17 Championship which was pushed back to 2025. The tournament was initially scheduled for August this year.

  According to recently installed Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president, Kieron Edwards, this friendly initiative is in line with the TTFA’s application to the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, which aims to provide additional resources to member associations for the elite youth national teams.

  Edwards insisted that there will be continuous efforts to provide opportunities for exposure and match preparation for the various national teams.

  “In keeping with the executive’s mantra to strengthen partnerships and our relationship with our brothers in CFU, we are pleased to be embarking on this journey to Jamaica,” said Edwards.

  “Despite the challenges, the commitment to the continued development of our high-performance programme shines through. This trip marks a pivotal step towards our U-17 team’s quest to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2025. It’s a testament to the dedication of all involved, securing this opportunity mere days after the new executive’s installation," he added.

  The current T&T U-17 selection features several players who have graduated from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association High Performance Programme and competed at the CONCACAF Boys Under-15 Championship in the Dominican Republic last August, recording memorable wins against Costa Rica and Qatar.

  T&T squad: Antuan Louison, Seth Hadeed, Jonathan Mason (Fatima College); Alejandro Harper, Eran Mc Leod (CIC); Nikosi Foncette, Kyron Baptiste, Josiah Simmons, Jimally Renne (Presentation College, Sando); Jasai Theophilus, Jayden Christophe (QRC); Dimitre Jones, Keston Richards (Arima North Sec); Jaydon Caprietta, Jeremiah Daniel, Adasa Richardson, Antonio Hills, Mikhail Clement (Naparima College); Salim Soanes (St Benedict’s College); Necose Moore (Chaguanas North Sec); Riquelme Phillips (Speyside High School)

• Captain fantastic: Reid again on target as Arnett Gardens edge Portmore United to book semi-final spot

  As the famous English proverbs states “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.”

  That’s the mindset of Arnett Gardens’s Head coach Xavier Gilbert, who is backing his team to not only overcome the Cavalier hurdle in the semi-final, but also to possibly go all the way in this season’s Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League.

  Gilbert’s thoughts followed their 1-0 win over Portmore United in second-leg quarterfinal action, as Arnett Gardens wrapped up a 2-1 aggregate scoreline at Sabina Park on Monday.

  Captain fantastic, Fabian Reid, was again the saviour, as he got the all-important strike in the 90th minute to break Portmore United’s heart and ensure the five-time champions remain on course for the final.

  With the “Junglists” last title coming back in the 2016/17 season, Gilbert is optimistic about breaking the drought, but first they will have to get by last season’s beaten finalist, Cavalier in the semi-final, which kicks off on Sunday.

  Arnett Gardens, who fell at the semi-final stage to eventual champions Mount Pleasant FA last year, lost 0-3 and drew 2-2 with Cavalier earlier this season.

  “We knew it would only get tougher as we go on, and that's a given. But when the situation becomes difficult, that’s when we need to show our strength and stand up to it. So, yes, it will be another tough encounter against Cavalier, but we have to prepare mentally and physically for it, and then analyse how we're going to approach that game tactically,” Gilbert said in a post-game interview.

  “But I'm happy that we got the win tonight. I thought we created some good opportunities, and we just didn't finish. We knew that it was just a matter of time, and we finally got it (the goal) in the end. I am happy for the players, I think they really deserve it, and it's a huge boost heading into, into the semi-final. They should be confident for that (semi-final) game, and we're just going to go back, recover and get ready for it,” he added.

  It was a fairly decent, but goalless first half, as both teams evenly matched strides and had their fair share of chances to break the deadlock. Arnett Gardens initially looked more threatening in open play, but the best chance of the half fell to Portmore United in the 39th minute, when Alex Marshall’s glancing header sent Chevaughn Walsh through on goal, but the striker sporting the number nine jersey, couldn’t beat Eric Edwards, who left his line well to block the effort.

  Prior to that, Chevany Willis’s seventh-minute freekick for Arnett Gardens, came back off the crossbar, while Keheim Dixon went on a break in the 10th minute, but was taken out by Portmore United’s custodian Benjamin Williams, who strayed well outside his area. Fortunately, the resulting freekick didn’t inflict any damage on the St Catherine team.

  Portmore United started more purposeful on the resumption, and enjoyed a decent passage of play, but failed to create any meaningful chance to hurt Arnett Gardens.

  

  Arnett Gardens eventually settled and should have opened the scoring through Dixon in the 54th minute. The former Clarendon College standout picked up a pass from Jaheim Thomas and had time and space to pick a spot from deep inside the danger area. However, his first opportunity came off the upright, while the second off the rebound, slammed into the underside of the crossbar.

  Arnett Gardens again went close in the 66th minute, as Reid rose highest to deflect Philando Wing’s weighted corner kick towards goal, but Williams, diving full stretch to his right, got down well to parry.

  Portmore responded six minutes later, but Walsh, arriving at the far post, failed to connect with Marshall’s cross.

  From there, it was all Arnett Gardens, as they applied consistent pressure and had two quick looks at the target, but both Marlon Martin and substitute Shai Smith, misfired in quick succession.

  However, the South St Andrew team inevitably got the goal their many fans waited for on the stroke of full time. Smith, with a cheeky play, orchestrated a tidy build up in a one-two combination play with another substitute Kimani Arbouine, before playing a perfect pass across the face of goal for Reid to finish his 12th goal of the season, and 86th in a dazzling JPL career, from close range.

  With the defeat a tough one to take, Portmore United’s Head coach Phillip Williams rued their missed opportunities.

  “I think we created enough chances but at the same time, I don’t think we were clinical enough to make the most of those chances. It was a game of fine margins and against a quality team like Arnett Gardens, you have to put away those chances, but the guys stuck to the tactical adjustments that we made, and we were in the game for a longer period it is just unfortunate that we didn’t put away our chances,” Williams reasoned.

• Women's Super League: Title race and relegation drama as attendances boom

  With relegation and the title race all still to play for, the weekend's Women's Super League did not disappoint fans in what turned out to be a drama-filled Sunday of football.

  This has been a record-breaking season for the women's game in England.

  For the first time ever between the Barclays WSL and the Barclays Championship, both leagues have achieved a cumulative attendance of over one million at fixtures this season.

  Based on the twists and turns we have experienced over recent weeks, it is easy to see why fans are attending in increasing numbers.

  Relegation Battle

  Bristol City knew they would have a mammoth task in their race for survival when they welcomed Manchester City who, at the other end of the table, are pushing to win their first title since 2016.

  West Ham, meanwhile, were travelling to Villa Park and knew even a point, assuming Bristol City were to lose, would mean safety for the Hammers.

  It was a nervy start from both teams at Ashton Gate in front of the 8,749-strong crowd. City piled on the pressure in the first half with Lauren Hemp and Chole Kelly both having multiple chances to take the lead. The Citizens really looked as if they missed their star striker Khadija Bunny Shaw, who had been ruled out for the season earlier in the week.

  The second half, however, saw Matildas star Mary Fowler manage to break the deadlock for the Citizens, with a moment of individual brilliance that City were so desperately needing.

  Fowler then added a second shortly after and the floodgates were opened at Aston Gate, Bristol shipping a further two - with an own goal from Amy Rodgers and Alex Greenwood's header rounding off the win.

  Bristol City, in their first season in the WSL, have found it a challenge to keep up. They have failed to score in nine of their 20 games - no team has failed to do so more often in the league.

  They faced a Man City side that have scored in their last 14 games, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since going 25 straight games with a strike from 16th October 2022 to 5th November 2023.

  Bristol City Manager Lauren Smith reflected on the season with Sky Sports, saying: "Some of the performances we’ve been really proud of, but we still haven’t got results off.

  "Even in this game, up to 60-something minutes, I was very, very proud of how we defended, created some really good counter-attacks in the first half.

  “I think we’ve shown up, but we haven’t shown up for 90 minutes week-in, week-out, and I think that’s been the difference.

  “We have to start looking at what next year looks like. I’ll be working with the chairman to make sure that we do what we need to do to make sure that we are stronger next year.

  "We have to continue to build and that’s on the pitch, off the pitch and to make sure our fanbase is as incredible as it is right now next year.

  "All of us as a club are part of that, and we will be looking to make sure we continue this trend and excitement about women’s football in Bristol.”

  West Ham were pleased to secure their WSL status in a clash that saw them grab a late goal to make it 1-1 at Villa Park. The Hammers have not had a good season under Rehanne Skinner, who joined in late July, and maybe with her experience more would have been expected of West Ham.

  Skinner has struggled to get her team to find any consistency, and they have failed to win in their last seven games - their last longer winless streak was from 14th October 2023 to 21st January 2024, a run of nine games.

  The Hammers arguably have a young squad and there was very little time to recruit before the season started. However, she did put the January window to good use, bringing in US and Australian Internationals, respectively in Kristie Mewis and Katrina Gorry to bolster the midfield, along with two other key signings, Shelina Zadorsky and Marika Bergman-Lundin.

  This seems to have been the boost West Ham needed to stay in the top flight ahead of Bristol City.

  The Title Race

  Manchester City continued their march at the top to go six points clear of their rivals Chelsea with their 4-0 win at Bristol City. Arsenal knew they had a big opportunity to go level on points with Chelsea and further put pressure on their London rivals.

  Jonas Eidevall's side, however, could not manufacture the win in a match that saw them dominate all the stats, except the one that mattered. It was 1-1 at the final whistle, leaving the Gunners all but out of the title race.

  Arsenal had needed to ensure they won all their remaining games to even be in with a shout, but their away form has let them down this season.

  The unlikely Everton star to score the 95th-minute equaliser was 16-year-old Issy Hobson, who headed home for her first senior goal to ruin Arsenal's chase for the top.

  The Gunners have scored in each of their last 10 games in the English Women's Super League, scoring 22 goals in that run. The goals alone, though, have not been enough to challenge for the title this season.

  With Beth Mead back in the side and looking more and more like the player before her ACL injury, Alessia Russo scoring regularly, getting her 10th of the season against Everton, having Leah Williamson back in the side and the signing of Emily Fox, things are on the up for Arsenal as the season draws to a close.

  They have also won some silverware this term with the League Cup title, beating Chelsea to spoil Emma Hayes' final campaign.

  Eidevall shared his thoughts on the remainder of the season, where Arsenal can still have a big impact on the title race, in his post-match press conference.

  Arsenal may now be out of contention to lift the WSL title, but this coming weekend will see them face Manchester City at the Joie Stadium. It is a match-up that could undoubtedly decide the title race, so they still have a tremendous role to play as the drama unfolds. 

  Eidevall said: "I need to consult the Opta supercomputer to see what the probability is for not staying in third position.

  "For next weekend, it doesn’t change anything. It is to say it is really important for us to finish the season strongly. We haven’t won at Manchester City for a long time and I would very much like to change that.

  "We have an obligation to the league and all the teams competing. We know we will have a strong vote in that sense. Every team needs to do their very best and, in the end, the best team is going to win the league and that is fair.

  "Me personally, I couldn’t care less whether Chelsea or Manchester City win it. I don’t have any preferences there. From our perspective, we need to do our very best in all games to make sure that the league is as fair as possible."

  Before Arsenal's huge clash with City, which takes place on Sunday, there is a key game for Chelsea as they travel to face Liverpool on Wednesday.