WASA flow in FA final.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
Some of the excitement so obviously missing from local football was re-injected Wednesday evening when WASA Football Club staged one of the thrilling comebacks of the season to reach the 2006 FA Trophy Final where they will play North East Stars next Wednesday from 7.30 p.m. at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
After trailing 0-2 at the half to goals from Police's Christopher Sam (15th) and Kelon Williams (38th), WASA had a second half renaissance, dominating the second half of their semi-final and going on to win by a 3-2 margin.
The second semi-final between North East Stars and Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA was even in most ways and ended in a 2-2 draw at the end of extra-time. Stars then won 4-3 on kicks from the penalty spot.
Throughout, Stars had persisted with injured goalkeeper Curtis Granger, who needed medical treatment at least six times before spot kicks were taken. But, the faith coach Everald Gally Cummings placed in his injured keeper was rewarded when the North East Stars custodian made two decisive stops during the penalty shootout, including Caledonia's first kick from Densil Theobald, T&T's World Cup midfielder.
The hot debate at the Hasely Crawford Stadium was whether coach Ralph "Arab" Nelson had made a grave error in removing veteran midfielder Anthony Campbell, too early in the first half. Campbell was the architect of Police's first half superiority over WASA and once he was gone, WASA completely dominated the second half of their semi-final.
Flowing through Police with a network of smooth, short passes, WASA first pulled a goal back through Alvis Faure (62nd) who headed in a cross which keeper Anthony Marshall failed to hold onto in the Police penalty area. Four minutes later, Faure (66th) burst through and hit a low shot across the face of the goal to level the scores at 2-2, before a glancing header by substitute Darrin Lewis (79th) won the game for the Water Boys. By then, WASA had won the appreciation of the small crowd with their wonderful play and received a standing ovation.
Missing the thrill of the earlier excitement, the second semi-final between the two T&T Pro League teams never came to life, except for two early penalty appeals from Caledonia when lively striker Conrad Smith was brought down dribbling in the North East Stars penalty area. Both appeals looked good, but were turned down by referee Brendon Cassamir.
The opening goal finally came in the 45th minute when Theobald laid off a short pass for Kareem Joseph, who ran in from a wide right position and drilled the ball past Granger in the North East Stars goal.
Caledonia AIA led 1-0 at the half, but Stars were level at 1-1 just two minutes (47th) into the second half through striker Randolph Jerome, who guided in Kendall Velox 's left-side cross with a powerful header from the top of the six yard box.
The turn around was completed in the 53rd when Stars took a 2-1 lead. Going upfield for a free-kick, Guyanese defender Charles Pollard's attempt at a bicycle kick bounced off a defender and dropped nicely for Vincentian Kendall Velox, who scooped the ball over Colombian keeper Jhonny Cardona.
Stars were down to 10 players in the 83rd minute when Stokely Mason picked up a second yellow and was dismissed by referee Cassamir.
And Caledonia took just 40 seconds to make us of their one-man advantage by getting the equaliser from Theobald, who collected a pass from Smith in the penalty area and slapped a low shot into the North East Stars goal.
Among the new payers lining up with Caledonia was former national defender Ancil Elcock, who seemed set to get the winner when taking a pass from Sterling Arjoon down the centre of the penalty area, but was judged offside. Ten-man Stars survived plenty pressure, before going onto win by the spot kicks.
