2017 Trinidad and Tobago League Cup

The 2017 Trinidad and Tobago League Cup (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2017 First Citizens Cup) was the eighteenth season of the First Citizens Cup, which is the league cup competition for Trinidad and Tobago teams competing in the TT Pro League. Defence Force entered as the cup holders having defeated Ma Pau Stars by a score of 1–0 in the 2016 final. First Citizens Bank changed the slogan to "Where Winners Reign" due to the amount of money that the winner of the tournament would obtain. Teams were drawn into numbers with respect to their position in the 2017 TT Pro League at the time of the draw. It means that teams from 7–10 in the league enter at the play-offs, while from 1–6 enter at the quarterfinal stage. W Connection were crowned 8-time champions after defeating Defence Force in the final.[1]

2017 First Citizens Cup
Trinidad and Tobago League Cup
Tournament details
CountryTrinidad and Tobago
Teams10
Defending championsDefence Force
Final positions
ChampionsW Connection
Runner-upDefence Force
Tournament statistics
Matches played10
Goals scored31 (3.1 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Jorsling 3 goals
← 2016
2018 →

Draw Numbers

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The teams were drawn into their respective league position at the time of the draw.

  1. North East Stars
  2. W Connection
  3. Club Sando
  4. Defence Force
  5. San Juan Jabloteh
  6. Morvant Caledonia United
  7. Central
  8. Police
  9. Point Fortin Civic
  10. St. Ann's Rangers

Results

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Play-off round

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The setup for the tournament.[2][3]

11 October 2016 Central 2–1 St. Ann's Rangers Couva
18:00 (UTC-4) Marcano   60'
John   90+2'
Report Toussaint   69' Stadium: Ato Boldon Stadium


Quarterfinals

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The quarterfinals began with a double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium where Club Sando made a come from behind win against Morvant Caledonia United. It set the seen for an enthralling game between Defence Force and San Juan Jabloteh which ended 3-3 with 'the Army' advancing to the semis. A surprise result happened the following day with Point Fortin Civic knocking out North East Stars. The final game of the quarters was the 'Couva Classico' where 'The Savonetta Boys' beat Central to face Club Sando in the semis.[4]


15 October 2017 B W Connection 3–1 Central Marabella
15:30 (UTC-4) Benjamin   37'
Silva Couto   59'
Diaz   90+1'
Report Gordon   45+1' Stadium: Mannie Ramjohn Stadium


13 October 2017 D Defence Force 3–3
(4–2 p)
San Juan Jabloteh Couva
20:00 (UTC-4) Moore   26'
Arcia   80'
Jorsling   90+1'
Report Hutchinson   69', 72'
Simpson   86'
Stadium: Ato Boldon Stadium
Penalties
Jorsling  
Arcia  
Gonzales  
King  
Manners  
Hinkson  
Benjamin  
David  

Semi-finals

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Goalkeeper Andre Marchan epitomised the true heart-of-a-soldier when, limping through injury, he made three saves in a nail-biting penalty shootout against Point Fortin Civic on Friday night to put Defence Force one win away from successfully defending the First Citizens Cup. In a scintillating contest fit for a final, Defence Force surfaced 4-3 penalty winners over Civic following a dramatic 3-3 draw in semi-final one at the Ato Boldon Stadium, before Connection left it late to dispatch 10-men Club Sando 2-0 in semi-final two with a goal each from Neil Benjamin Jr. and substitute Daniel Diaz.[5]


3 November 2017 N W Connection 2–0 Club Sando Couva
20:00 (UTC-4) Benjamin   69'
Diaz   82'
Report Stadium: Ato Boldon Stadium

Third-place match

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Final

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Suriname international Dimitrie Apai picked up the Final’s MVP and Best Forward honours while his side W Connection celebrated a record-extending eighth First Citizens Cup by dethroning Defence Force 3-1 on Friday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

17 November 2017 Defence Force 1–3 W Connection Couva
20:00 (UTC-4) Arcia   14' Report Apai   19', 85'
Hector   24'
Stadium: Ato Boldon Stadium
Referee: Rashby Mc Phie

References

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  1. ^ "FCB Cup final".
  2. ^ "First Citizen Cup 2017 structure".
  3. ^ "First Citizen Cup 2017 Play off round results".
  4. ^ "Full quarterfinal results".
  5. ^ "Full semifinal results".