Digicel Pro League champs to be crowned today

But with Couva rivals W Connection hot on their heels __ one point behind in second __ and both sides facing the next best teams on today’s, the league crown can go either way in the two-team race.

Central (44 points), champions of 2014-15 and 2015-16, must face third positioned San Juan Jabloteh in their final league game from 3.30pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

Simultaneously at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Connection (43 points) will host fourth-positioned Ma Pau Stars.

Connection are on a seven- game winning streak since losing 2-1 to Central on December 12, while the Couva Sharks are on a four-game winning run and are coming off last week’s 6-0 win over St Ann’s Rangers.

However, their opponents Jabloteh (29 points) and Ma Pau (28 points) are also in a two-team battle of their own for a respectable third-place finish this season.

“At Central FC winning is a part of us,” said Central FC coach Dale Saunders on Wednesday during the launch and seeded draw of this season’s Digicel Pro Bowl knockout tournament.

Saunders said the work of the full Couva Sharks coaching staff — that includes the support of 2006 Trinidad and Tobago World Cup players Stern John and Brent Sancho — has been fantastic.

John serves as technical coach, while Sancho, the club’s managing director, is also known to put his knowledge of the game on the training pitch, as both ex-Trinidad and Tobago internationals had extensive careers on two continents.

“We are on the verge of winning a three-peat (in the League),” added Saunders. “…and we will try to go all the way.” Recently, Stuart Charles-Fevrier, head coach of five-time league winners (2000, 2001, 2005, 2011- 12 and 2013-14) W Connection, said, “we want to win the league (this season) like everyone else.

We have definitely improved in our results and I hope we can keep the consistency for the rest of the season. (But) we only have control over our games. So we must remain focused.” In related news, in a double- header on Friday at Couva, St Ann’s Rangers and Club Sando battled to a 3-3 draw while the encounter between Police and Morvant Caledonia United ended in a 1-1 tie.

(ttproleague.com)