W Connection trounce P/Rico Islanders for second CONCACAF spot.
By: Lasana Liburd (wired868).The Trinidad and Tobago Pro League is assured two of three CONCACAF Club Championship spots available after Neal & Massy Caledonia and W Connection were both victorious in tonight's Caribbean Football Union (CFU) semifinal fixtures in Marabella.
Second half goals from Radanfah Abu Bakr and substitute Devon Jorsling created a piece of history for Caledonia AIA as the "Eastern Stallions" qualified for the CONCACAF tournament with a 2-0 win over Antigua Barracuda at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.
And Connection was even more emphatic as the "Savonetta Boys" whipped Puerto Rico Islanders 4-1 in the second match of a double header.
Connection and Caledonia will meet from 8 pm on Thursday in the CFU finals while Barracuda and the Islanders will fight for one spot from 6 pm at the same venue.
Barracuda was fast, energetic and resolute but rarely threatened as Caledonia reaped the rewards for its ambition in the opening fixture.
Caledonia left winger Trayon Bobb and adventurous right back Kareem "Tiny" Joseph repeatedly stretched the Antiguan team before Cornelius Stewart conjured up the opener from the right wing.
Stewart, a St Vincent and the Grenadines international, gave a patchy performance on the night but produced a brilliant cross in the 64th minute and Abu Bakr, who snuck forward from central defence, rose to head the ball down to the left of goalkeeper Molvin James for the opener.
Caledonia did not keep the ball as well as coaches Jamaal Shabazz and Jerry Moe might have liked and lively Antiguan international striker Peter Byers kept the back four honest. But Jorsling came off the bench to settle the home team's nerves in the closing minutes.
Read More