source trinidadexpress.com
COACH Anthony Barrington's prediction that Defence Force would start to win soon seems to have taken effect, to the detriment of National Quarries North East Stars.
After losing their first five matches of the 2006 T&T Pro League season, the Army-Coast Guard combination have now rattled off three successive victories.
Two have come in the Courts Pro Bowl knockout competition, where Anton Joseph's rocket of a free-kick earned Defence Force a 1-0 victory over North East Stars in the opening game of a double-header at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Friday night.
After the Stars' keeper handled the ball outside the penalty area, Joseph, a hard-kicking ex-Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive midfielder, made no mistake with his drive which struck the back of the net to give his team a 48th minute winner.
Friday's semi-final game will see Defence Force facing another Port of Spain-based team in defending Pro Bowl champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, who comfortably got by Superstar Rangers 2-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, with goals from Akeel Guerra (29th) and Peter Prosper (60th).
The other semi-final matches Vibe CT 105 W Connection and Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA, whose coach Jamaal Shabazz was in a boastful mood after whipping Pro League leaders Joe Public for the second time this season.
After a goal-less first half where neither team created much chances, Caledonia took the lead five minutes into the second session when under-20 striker Kendall Jagdeosingh picked up a Nigel Pierre through ball and beat Colombian keeper Alejandro Figueroa, who was guarding the Joe Public goal.
The Eastern Lions battled back to level the score at 1-1 when Gary Glasgow spectacularly met Arnold Dwarika's crossball with a diving header.
Dwarika had done much of the work on the left flank, dribbling defender Mark Small before hitting a pin-point cross.
But as they have done many times over the years, the modest Caledonia AIA club from the poverty-stricken Morvant area
found a way to defeat their rich rivals
, who are owned by millionaire FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.
The winner came when veteran midfielder
Conrad Smith beat Figueroa from a free-kick, which was given when ex-Joe Public striker Pierre was brought down outside the penalty area.
Caledonia's semi-final opponents W Connection also left it to the second half to see off United Petrotrin 4-1, after the Oil Boys had held them 1-1 at the halfway stage.
Speedy Nigerian forward Iyiaka Stanley gave Connection a 14th minute lead, only for Derrick Joseph to level for United Petrotrin in the 27th minute.
Andre Toussaint restored W Connection's lead in the 55t minute and then Devon Mitchell, their new signing from Jabloteh, netted twice, in the 68th & 81st minutes.
COURTS PRO BOWL
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS:
At Larry Gomes Stadium
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 2 Superstar Rangers 0
Joe Public 1 Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA 2
At Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
Defence Force 1 North East Stars 0
Vibe CT 105 W Connection 4 United Petrotrin 1
