Jabloteh boot out champs Petrotrin.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
San Juan Jabloteh and Defence Force set up a meeting in tomorrow's semi-finals of the 2007 Toyota Classic after seeing off defending champions United Petrotrin and Tobago United, respectively, on Tuesday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Jabloteh were comfortable 3-1 winners over Petrotrin, who played for 39 minutes minus striker Beville Joseph who was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.
Earlier on the night, Defence Force made light work of Tobago United, defeating the team from the sister isle by a huge 7-1 margin. After leading 2-0 at the half through goals from striker Jerwin Balthazar (5th) and Devon Jorslyn (25th), the armed forces team exploded, getting five second half goals.
Balthazar had Defence Force ahead early when finishing off a series of passes and Jorslyn lobbed the ball over Tobago keeper Andrew Durant for the second, a goal made by Michael Edwards' powerful run up the flank.
Both Jorslyn (25 & 76th) and substitute striker Sherman Phillips (62nd & 86th) netted a brace apiece while Anton Pierre (60th) and Christon Baptiste (90th) also found the net.
Tobago United had gone in at the end of the first half hopeful of making it a match after reducing the deficit to 2-1 in the 44th. Garvin McKenna got the goal, collecting Garth Woodley's through ball and banging past Kevin Graham in the Defence Force citadel.
But, it all fell apart for Tobago United when a goalkeeping error resulted in a third goal for Defence Force. Stepping out of the penalty box, Durant gave a free-kick in a position perfect for hard-kicking Pierre, who banged in to make it 3-1 in the 60th minute.
In the other game, Peter Byers, the rugged Antiguan forward, was Man-of-the-Match, as Jabloteh ended the reign of United as Toyota Classic champions with a 3-1 victory.
From the onset, Jabloteh took the game to the "Oil Squad", playing at an uptempo pace, and were eventually rewarded with a 16th minute penalty when Byers was upended in the area.
Trent Noel, the team's dead-ball specialist, took the spot-kick, blasting past goalie Tristian Charles to put Jabloteh up 1-0.
Byers almost added another in the 41st minute, but hit straight into the gut of keeper Charles, who had initially parried a shot from speedy Antiguan Gayson Gregory.
Jason Marcano doubled Jabloteh's lead in the 53rd, coming on as a substitute for injured Gregory and converting Byers square pass after the Antiguan had out-muscled the Petrotrin defence and found his teammate. By that time, Petrotrin were also a man short after the 51st minute dismissal of Joseph.
Byers missed getting a goal in the 70th, when he outpaced the Petrotrin defence but put his shot onto an upright. Petrotrin made good use of the reprieve when striker Sylvester Teesdale headed a cross past keeper Cleon John in the 78th minute.
At 2-1 United Petrotrin were back in the game, but were unable to make any further inroads, and Ataulla Guerra finally made the game absolutely safe for Jabloteh, raising the score to 3-1 in the 90th minute, when putting Marcano's pass into the Petrotrin goal.
TeamsSan Juan Jabloteh:[/b] — Cleon John, Carlon Murray, Lester Peltier (Atullah Guerra), Trent Noel, Khaleem Hyland, Gregory Geason (Jason Marcano), Elton John, Ian Gray, Peter Byers, Cyd Gray, Jason Cudjoe (Dwayne Jack)
Goalscorers—Trent Noel, Jason Marcano 52’, Atullah Guerra 90’.
Coach—Terry Fenwick
United Petrotrin: — Tristan Charles, Beville Joseph, Romauld Aguillera, Brent Garcia, Sylvester Teedale, Akeem Parris, Husani Thomas (Vurlon Mills), Kennedy Hinkson (Marlon Lewis), Al Sinclair, Ghmyo Harper, Jody Allsop
Goalscorer— Sylvester Teedale 78’.
Coach—Brian Williams
Tuesday's Toyota Classic Quarter-Final Results:Joe Public 2 (Kendall Jadgeosingh 27th & 35th) Superstar Rangers 1 (Josimar Belgrave, 54th)
Caledonia AIA 1 (Marvin Oliver, penalty 40th minute) v W Connection 0
San Juan Jabloteh 3 (Trent Noel 16th; Jason Marcano 53rd; Atullah Guerra 90th) v United Petrotrin 1 (Sylvester Teesdale 78th)
Defence Force 7 (Kerwyn Balthazar 5th; Devon Jorslyn 25 & 76th; Anton Pierre 60th; Sherman Phillips 62nd & 86th; Christon Baptiste 90th) v Tobago United 1 (Garvin McKenna 44th)
skill: Defence Force striker Devon Jorslyn controls the ball perfectly during Tuesday's Toyota Classic quarter-final match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Jorslyn scored twice as the Defence Force defeated Tobago United 7-1.
Caledonia hit back.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA face their eastern rivals, bmobile Joe Public, tomorrow night in one of two 2007 Toyota Classic semi-final fixtures. No disrespect to the "Eastern Lions" but Caledonia might feel their most demanding Cup opponent has already been slain.
On Tuesday night, Caledonia turned the tables on Vibe CT 105 W Connection with a 1-0 win at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar that might help ease the pain of a 2-0 loss against the southern outfit in the First Citizens Cup final earlier this month.
Caledonia playmaker Marvin Oliver was the match winner with a 40th minute penalty that decided the tense affair.
There was a penalty in the opening game, too, but it was too little too late for Superstar Rangers as the ten-man Joe Public squad held on for a 2-1 triumph.
Video footage of the Public victory, if the Trinidad and Tobago Referees Association can get it, would make interesting viewing. Referee Phillip Jordan was at the centre of two goals, flashed a red card and, on the advice of his assistant Simon Baptiste, ignored a shout for a possible equaliser. At first glance, the pair appeared to be justified in each decision.
Public opened the scoring in the 27th minute as winger Kendall Jagdeosingh, criminally unattended, steered into the far corner.
But Jagdeosingh's second goal, the culmination of a quick free kick by midfielder Silas Spann, enraged the Rangers squad that pointed to defender Jevon Morris, who lay prostrate during Public's successful raid.
Public were unlikely to sympathise as Morris committed the infringement that demanded a free kick in the first place and there was no suggestion of a head injury-the only grievance that forces the immediate stoppage of play.
In the 38th minute, the pendulum swung in Rangers favour as Public sweeper Lyndon Andrews was shown a straight red card. Conspiracy theorists might suggest a "make up call".
They would be wrong. Public defender Seon Power clattered into an opponent near the halfline but Jordan allowed the advantage as Rangers attacker Josimar Belgrave took possession.
Andrews, a newly converted defender, seemed distracted and Belgrave was already through to goal when he brought him down.
The Public defender pointed tamely at the fallen players further upfield by way of explanation but he had to go.
There was more controversy in the 54th minute when Public goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa spilled and recovered a Belgrave shot and was, perhaps understandably, confused when the referee ordered a penalty.
Rangers attacker Christon Thomas had little hope of reaching the rebound but Jagdeosingh appeared to make sure by barging him over.
Jordan was not happy with Jagdeosingh's reaction and Belgrave coolly converted the resulting spot kick.
Figueroa had another anxious moment when he dropped a cross-cum-shot by Thomas before hastily retrieving the ball. Baptiste.
TeamsCaledonia AIA:[/b] — Richard Reynolds, Sheldon Emmanuel (capt), Charles Pollard, Howard Lowe, Hayden Tinto (Abdallah Phillip 85th), Sterling Arjoon, Stephan David, Conrad Smith (Carlyle Mitchell 67th), Marvin Oliver, Dwight Peters (Uz Taylor 90th)
Goalscorer—Marvin Oliver 40’ (pen)
Coach—Jamaal Shabazz
W Connection: — Marvin Phillip, Elijah Joseph (capt), Ronaldo Viana, Clyde Leon, Nickcolson Thomas (Dwight Scott 72nd), Kelvin Modeste, Milton Gomez, Hughton Hector, Kerron Smith (Andre Toussaint 46th), Gerrard Williams, Jonathon Farias (Earl Jean 46th)
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier
tight grip: Joe Public striker Kerry Noray, left, holds off Elijah Belgrave of Superstar Rangers in the Toyota Classic quarter-final at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar on Tuesday. Joe Public won 2-1.
