Friday night game kicks off Premier League weekend

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 10 January 2017

Latinos FC and Sunset FC played to a scoreless draw last time.

Latinos FC and Sunset FC kick off a packed weekend of Cayman Islands Football Association fixtures when they meet under the lights at the Annex on Friday, 13 January in the first senior match of 2017.

Fifth-placed Latinos has had a mixed run of form since being promoted to the Cayman Premier League this season but have been solid defensively, allowing nine goals in as many fixtures this season. Only Scholars International (seven) have allowed fewer goals. Table-topping Bodden Town FC and second placed Elite SC have also only allowed the ball past their keepers nine times in league play.

Meantime, Sunset FC has picked up steam after spending the first few weeks of the 2016-17 campaign at the bottom of the table and are now in the sixth spot, tied with Latinos on 10 points but behind on goal differential.

Latinos picked up a point in their last outing – a 0-0 draw with Scholars on 4 December, after a two-game skid. Sunset have won two of their last three. When they last met on 16 December, it ended in a 1-1 draw. Both sides have an energetic style of play and it promises to be a keenly-contested match when they kick off at 7:30 p.m. for Friday Night Happy Hour Football, which is a CIFA fundraising event with proceeds benefiting participating clubs. Unlike the other games, there is a $5.00 entry fee and a DJ will provide entertainment. There’s also be a prize raffle.

Defending champions Scholars meet Bodden Town in what could potentially be the match of the weekend on Sunday. Scholars blanked Bodden Town 2-0 when both clubs were last on the pitch at the same time. Each has two wins, a loss and a draw in their last four league matches. Bodden Town will look to stretch their two-point lead over Elite in the standings but Scholars will look to start 2017 off on a positive note in a bid to retain the crown, while at the same time preparing for the CFU Club Championships. The match is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Sunday at the Annex. (Editor’s note: We initially reported the venue as being Ed Bush but CIFA has since made a change, which is now reflected)

Academy handed Roma their first loss of the season on 16 Oct. Roma has been in free-fall since.

In the late game, third-placed Academy, unbeaten in four games, meets bottom-of-the-table Roma United, who’ve lost three in a row. Roma, however, will hope that training put in over the Christmas break will see the club start to climb from the cellar. A clash against the hottest team in the league will be their first test at 7:00 p.m. Academy beat Roma 2-1 last time they played.

Also in action are Cayman Athletic and Elite SC. They meet at 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Annex. Elite is within striking distance of reclaiming the top spot in the standings if they take care of their seventh-placed opponents. But Cayman Athletic have been showing improvement in recent weeks. A tough 2-1 loss to Bodden Town on 4 December put the brakes on a two-game winning streak.

CaymanSportsBuzz.com will have a complete recap of all the action, plus halftime and fulltime scores on our scoreboard ticker at the top of our page.