Doubles for Goulart & Viana.
...as Connection trample Hoppers.
By: Joel Villafana (ttproleague.com).[/size]
The boys from Savonetta promised an all out attack and delivered on their promise, as they stamped their authority in the Caribbean Club Championships with a convincing 5-0 win over Hoppers FC of Antigua.
A brace each from the Connections’ Brazilian duo of Gefferson Goulart and Ronaldo Viana was more than enough to destroy the Antiguan champions.
In front a small, but highly appreciative Puerto Rican crowd, W Connection applied relentless pressure on the Antiguans who seemed not too have too many answers for the free flowing style of W Connection.
Attacking midfielder Gefferson Goulart got the momentum off to a cracker, when in the 3rd minute skipper Earl Jean took a quickly taken free kick on the right flank after he was brought down, and Gefferson met the ball in true Brazilian style with a spectacular overhead kick that went wide, but was an early crowd pleaser.
Connection began to take control with Kern Cupid making some intelligent runs down the right, in the 7th minute one of his many crosses on the night teasingly went across the face of the goal with no one there to capitalize.
However, the boys from Couva did not have to wait much longer to get on the score sheet—in the 8th minute, William Da Silva Oliveira from on top the 18 yard, slipped a neat pass to Gefferson Goulart and with acres of space and time he settled himself and shot powerfully past the Antiguan keeper into the back of the net – Connection leading 1-0.
Connection kept Hoppers hopping, in the 10th minute; it was the ever busy Kern Cupid making another overlapping run, only to see another one of his teasing crosses missed by both Gefferson Goulart and Andre Toussaint.
It was all Connection in the first 20 minutes, as Toussaint was sent through with only the keeper to beat, cracked a ferocious shot that ricocheted off the upright.
The opportunities kept coming, in minute 21 the Savonetta Boys should have definitely doubled their score, when a cross from William Oliveira fell nicely for Ronaldo Vianna, but his shot was partially saved and skipper Earl Jean’s diving header trickled wide.
The score was doubled in the 27th minute, when Andre Toussaint powerfully headed home an Andre Pacheco cross –Connection now in front 2-0
The Antiguan team was being totally outplayed and hardly had a shot on goal in the first half.
In the 29th minute, Connection’s Brazilian trio produced the play of the game, and it was surely deserving of a goal—once again it started with Oliveira in the engine room, he dissected the defence with a ball that found Viana unmarked and he slipped it to Goulart who somehow placed his shot wide.
Kern Cupid enjoyed a good first half and started another Connection attack with a pinpoint long ball that picked out Ronaldo Viana, who swung the ball across the face of the goal, and Earl Jean dived full length to header it straight at goal keeper Carl Joseph.
Hoppers FC finished the half with a bit of a spark, in the dying minutes of the half Kendell Pennifeather had a long range effort that flew ridiculously high and wide. No sooner with the ball back in play, Pennifeather had another long range crack, but this time it was on target, and forced Jan Michael Williams to pull off his first save of the half.
Connection went to the dressing rooms comfortably leading 2-0.
The second half started similar to first, with Connection pulling all the strings from midfield—Coach Stuart Charles Ferveir made two early substitutes with Silvio Spann coming on for Christian Viveros and Jerron Johnson replacing Christopher Harvey.
Connection attacking flair mesmerized the poor Antiguans as the 2006 Pro League runners up came out in search for more goals.
The 52nd minute of the game saw another bit of flamboyance by the Trinidad and Tobago powerhouses—William Da Silva Oliviera busy like a bee in midfield found space and played a ball into the penalty area straight at Gefferson Goulart, he dummied the ball through to Earl Jean, but the St. Lucian striker shot straight into the side netting.
But more goals soon came—as Ronaldo Viana scored a magnificent double in the space of 2 minutes – his first item was started by Andre Pacheco who made one of his bursts down the left flank and swung a cross which found Goulart, he controlled well and laid it off for Viana to run on and hammer a beauty of a shot pass a hapless Carl Joseph in the Hoppers goal – Connection up 3-0.
The Antiguans were not allowed to recover from that Viana rocket, as one minute later connection came at them again, this time Toussaint weaved his way into the 6 yard box, slipped a neat pass to Viana who was running on and with all the ease in the world placed it in the far corner to give Connection a 4-0 advantage.
Credit must be given to the Antiguan team, as for some reason they never seemed to drop their heads and kept running, hoping to at least get a consolation item, but it never came much to the demise of the Puetro Rican fans who were urging them on, as their team only managed to beat the Antiguans by 3 goals to 1.
In the 59th minute Jari Jackson tried his luck from distance, the shot surprised everyone including Jan Michael Williams who had a relaxing night in goal, but the young goal keeper kept his eyes on the ball and stretched full length to push it wide.
T&T’s striker Andre Toussaint deserved a double, but luck was not on his side, Viana turned provider in the 65th minute with a long cross that found Toussaint but he volleyed wide.
Ten minutes later, another piece of Connection brilliance, as Toussaint and Goulart wiggled their way through the Antiguan defence with some neat one touch passing, with Toussaint having a crack at goal that went straight to the goalkeeper.
Connection rounded off a good night’s work in the 77th when Gefferson Goulart shot from just inside the box screamed past the Antiguan keeper to give him his double and Connection’s 5th.
The First Citizens Cup Champions pressed for more goals, but near misses by Viana, Johnson and Toussaint deprived the local champions of adding to their tally.
In the end Coach Stuart Charles Fervier will be more than happy with a 5-0 score line, as he looks ahead to what should be a more competitive match against the Puerto Rican Islanders.
Teams
W Connection FC: – Jan Michael Williams, Christopher Harvey (Jerron Johnson), Andrei Pacheco, Gefferson Goulart, William Oliveira, Kern Cupid, Elijah Joseph, Ronaldo Viana, Christian Viveros (Silvio Spann), Earl Jean (George Issacs), Andre Toussaint.
Coach – Stuart Charles Fervier
Hoppers FC: – Carl Joseph, Kendell Pennifeather, Steveroy Anthony, Alejandro Hernandez, Victor Arbelaez, Craig Parker, Kelly Frederick (Jari Jackson), Rolston Phoenix, Tomarley Thomas, Tony Thomas, George Dublin.
