Joe Public retains Super League knockout title.
By Jovan Ravello (Guardian).
Joe Public put on an inspired display against WASA Clean and White in the final of the 2005 Sportworld National Super League knockout competition, at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Friday night, to go away with a 3-0 victory. From the onset, it was evident that the teams were on different wavelengths. The “Eastern Lions” at their voracious best, while WASA appeared tired.
Last year, Joe Public beat Tobago’s Angostura 1976 FC Phoenix in the final at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, in Bacolet, Tobago. The champion team got the ideal start towards retaining the title when a clearance by WASA’s right back Kevin Daniel was not quite effective, the ball falling favourably to Leandro Moncao. The speedy Brazilian took full advantage of the gift and slotted home Joe Public’s first goal in the third minute.
Despite the urgings of a few irate supporters, WASA could not trouble the Joe Public defence for all the efforts of Bernard Mc Call in midfield, team captain Kien Hernandez and former T&T international Marvin Faustin.
Kirth Hutchins failed to put away Faustin’s 12th minute cross, under pressure from a Joe Public defender, his header sending the ball well wide of Jacomeno Barrett’s right post.
While the backline held fast, leaving goalie Barrett with little work to do, Joe Public’s Moncao, last year’s top scorer in the league, Jamaican Roen Nelson and former T&T international Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews were allowed freedom to run WASA’s defence ragged.
On one such foray, Moncao played provider and after some slick dribbling down the right flank delivered a cross which left Douglas Mc Neilly, in goal for WASA, stranded on top of his six-yard box; and when Nelson scuffed his shot, Andrews was on spot to fire in Joe Public’s second goal in the 24th minute. Soon afterwards, Carey Harris missed a chance to increase Joe Public’s lead and the score remained 2-0 at half-time.
The second half was more of the same for both teams and in the 88th minute, second-half substitute Wolry Wolfe cemented the win for Joe Public.
For the second straight year, the Joe Public team walked away with the knockout trophy, 25 gold medals, and a $20,000 cheque while WASA won $10,000. The WASA footballers failed to come into their own any time in the match and allowed JoePublic, with clever play, pace, accurate passing and deft ball control, to retain the trophy.
The WASA team will have an opportunity at redemption in a knockout series against the T&T Pro League’s top five teams — the others being Joe Public, Rotiv Couva Players United, Tobago’s Stokely Vale and the winner of the Maraval Youth Academy versus Angostura 1976 FC Phoenix match on the Trinity College ground at Moka tomorrow from 4 pm. The league competition restarts on Sunday, with a full roster of matches.
