Caledonia AIA edge Rangers.
By: Vinod Narwani (ttproleague).[/size]
A 79th minute goal from Radanfah Abu Bakr was what Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA required in order to get three points in their match against Superstar Rangers at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
The ‘Men from Morvant’ however, had a shaky start as Uz Taylor fouled Christian Thomas inside the box in the seventh minute, resulting in a penalty for Rangers, but the kick, which was taken by captain Errol McFarlene, was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Michael Woods who dived to his right.
It was an effort that the men in red were eventually going to regret.
In a first half, which was somewhat quiet, Caledonia’s Nigel Pierre received a ball from the right side, but his header was off-target in the 11th minute.
Three minutes later, the lads from Morvant again tried to find the net as Conrad Smith served one from the left flank across the face of the goal to Stephan David, who was unable to finish the job.
In the 25th minute it was Rangers turn, as they came close to breaking the deadlock, following clumsy defending by Caledonia in their area, the ball falling nicely to Todd Ryan, who cheekily got his boot to it, only to see the effort being cleared by the Caledonia defence.
Jamal Shabazz’s men had their best first-half opportunity in the 29th minute when a ball was floated in from the far right, both Abu Bakr and Kendall Jagdeosingh waiting to pounce on it with their heads; Jagdeosingh got there first, but headed it straight into the body of Abu Bark, whose absence would surely have given Caledonia the lead as Rangers keeper Shurland Awai looked clearly beaten.
After what seemed like a lull in action during the first period of play, the Anthony Street-coached Rangers did find the net in the 45th minute as McFarlene headed in a right-side cross from Colin Roberts, before the linesman’s flag went up to signal that it was off-side.
The earlier part of the 2nd half produced little goal mouth action resulting in the spectators having the impression that both sides would fail to get off the mark, but then came the magical touch from substitute Quincy Charles, whose pass from the right flank was hammered in by a speeding Abu Bakr.
This effort fired up the ‘Morvant Boys’ who had an opportunity to get the insurance item in the 85th minute through Smith, his shot being legitimately denied by a Rangers player guarding the posts.
All of a sudden, it seemed as if every Caledonia shot that would follow was going to find the back of the net.
For a split second, an inaccurately hit bicycle-kick from a distance off the boot of Abu Bakr in minute-86 had some fans believing that the second item was on the cards—but it went wide.
With three minutes left, Julio Cesar De La Rosa received his second yellow card for an infringement and Caledonia were down to 10 men.
Caledonia got a scare in the 89th minute when McFarlene’s volley went over the bar to the delight of Woods and company. It was a relief for the Caledonia bench, coming away with a 1-0 win and taking the full share of the points.
Teams
Caledonia AIA – Michael Woods (GK), Sterling Arjoon, Sheldon Emmanuel, Uz Taylor, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Stephan David, Conrad Smith, Julio Cesar De La Rosa, Jason Cudjoe (Hayden Tinto 80th), Nigel Pierre (Quincy Charles 70th), Kendall Jagdeosingh (Anthony Thompson 80th).
Superstar Rangers – Shurland Awai (GK), Rafer Ross, Dean Pacheco (Sean Christmas 86th), Colin Roberts, Todd Ryan (Marlon Bowen 80th), Kerwin Jemmott, Kerwyn Cooper, Errol McFarlene, Milton Fabian Correa Gomez, Coneal Thomas, Christon Thomas (Josimar Belgrave 66th).
CALEDONIA AIA v SUPERSTAR RANGERS
1 GOALS 0
5 YELLOW CARDS 0
1 RED CARDS 0
3 SHOTS ON TARGET 4
18 FOULS 14
7 CORNERS 4
