DEFENCE FORCE and Caledonia AIA will square off, for the third time, in a knockout final this season, when they meet on May 18 in the Digicel Pro Bowl decider. In the semi-final double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Defence Force knocked out TTEC 2-0 while AIA needed penalties to eliminate W Connection 5-3, after both teams were locked at 0-0 at the end of regulation time.
TTEC began the game under a cloud, both on and off the field, and they saw their season conclude without a title, a major surprise considering the hype they created with their roster inclusions.
The team may not return to the top flight next season due to financial constraints while the lack of silverware cost Dexter Cyrus his job, with his assistant Reynold Carrington at the helm.
Carrington may not have been pleased with a chance Defence Force created after 10 minutes, when defender Corneal Thomas failed to cut out a pass from Richard Roy, but Josimar Belgrave sent his shot wide from close range. At the other end, Marcus Joseph met a right-sided centre from his captain Sylvester Teesdale but headed wide, while Kevon Neaves directed a pass from Aubrey David to Bevon Bass, but the midfielder’s effort was blocked by goalkeeper Kevin Graham. Roy, clearly bothered by the soggy outfield, had two chances to break the deadlock, his first effort went wide (in the 37th) and four minutes, he forced a good save from goalie Marvin Phillip.
The second half was a drab affair until Curtis Gonzales got his name on the scoresheet, in the 78th, as Phillip, the experienced national goalie, clumsily allowed a low long-range drive to trickle past his outstretched right hand and hit the target.
Teenaged striker Shackiel Henry could have equalised shortly afterwards, but Graham was alert to deny his goal-bound header.
Defence Force inflicted the knockout punch in the 82nd – Thomas allowed Michael Edwards to race past him and Edwards fed Kerry Joseph who completed the counter-attack with a neat finish, to Phillip’s left.
The earlier match was decided in kicks from the penalty spot, with Caledonia holding their nerves to triumph in the spot-kicks. But, in a contest which was played at a moderate pace, there was a major moment of controversy in the 64th.
Rennie Britto was clearly brought down by defender Walter Moore inside the penalty box but referee Michael Ragoonath, after a belated signal from assistant referee Cindy Mohammed, shocked everyone in attendance by signalling for a freekick, at the edge of the penalty box.
The freekick, taken by Joevin Jones, produced a wonderful save from Kevin Graham (Caledonia’s Jamaican goalie).
In the shootout, Kareem Joseph, Moore, Stephan David, Devorn Jorsling and Keyon Edwards all got the better of Jan-Michael Williams to put their team in their fourth final of the season (following their success in the First Citizens Cup, FA Trophy and Lucozade Sport Goal Shield).
Connection, winners of the Toyota Cup, were on the backfoot following a tamely-struck penalty from Britto, which was easily blocked by Graham. Kern Cupid, Christian Viveros and Gerrard Williams fired their efforts past Graham, but Edwards’ successful kick brought an end to the Connection’s 2011-2012 domestic season.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt
By Joel Bailey