Joe Public retains Digicel Pro Bowl with 1-0 win over Connection.
ttproleague.com
Striker Andre Toussaint stole the show against his former club W Connection on Friday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium when he earned Joe Public a 1-0 Digicel Pro Bowl Final victory to retain the title.
Toussaint who joined Public in 2009 from Connection, scored the lone item of the match only 11 minutes inside when from a left side corner play he controlled the ball inside the area and slipped a shot past goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams for the 1-0 advantage.
Toussaint was later named the tournament MVP and also picked up the Most Goals Award with three goals (two in the semi-final round against Caledonia and one in the Final) while his team celebrated a new Digicel Pro Bowl trophy and the $100,000.00 winner takes all payout.
Friday’s Digicel Pro Bowl Final closed off the TT Pro League 2010-2011 calendar with Joe Public ending the season with two titles (First Citizens Cup and retaining the Pro Bowl which they captured in 2009 against Caledonia).
It was a basically a new look Joe Public, with head coach Rajesh Latchoo only in his fourth match in charge and only four surviving standout players (Carlyle Mitchell, Hayden Tinto, Marvin Phillip and Toussaint) from last season’s Pro Bowl.
Goalkeeper Phillip, also a former W Connection player, pulled off a magnificent save with a one-handed push-out to measure a brilliant Christian Viveros strike from 30 yards out which headed for the upper corner in the 34th minute.
W Connection tested Phillip again in the 43rd minute from a freekick, but the Joe Public goalie tamed an Andrei Pacheco freekick by palming the effort before gathering.
Joe Public dominated the forward movement in the opening half and was close to doubling its advantage in the 51st minute, however after a weaving run down the right by Toussaint, Dorion Robinson was blocked out by Williams and the rebound effort by Hayden Tinto was blocked out by defender Kemuel Rivers.
The W Connection goal was threatened again in the 62nd minute with a shot by Kareem Young, but his effort was easily handled by Williams.
Connection responded with a strike by Hughton Hector from the left in the 69th minute which was blocked out by Phillip and two minutes later substitute Hashim Arcia hammered overbar off Kern Cupid’s cross.
However the Stuart Charles Fevrier coached side couldn’t restrain the Joe Public attacks. Toussaint struck the side netting in the 77th minute after great skill by Robinson near the corner flag which left defender Akeem Benjamin beaten and the packed Marvin Lee Stadium crowd into a celebrative outburst.
And at the Final whistle in the 95th minute, the Lions roared while Connection slumped off the pitch after ending with a trophyless season for the first time in the club’s history as a professional club beginning in 1999.
Joe Public 1—0 W Connection
Andre Toussaint 11’
Teams
Joe Public—Marvin Phillip, Carlyle Mitchell (capt), Keion Goodridge, Micah Lewis (Marvin Manswell 87th), Hayden Tinto (Neil Mitchell 83rd), Andre Toussaint, Kareem Young (Yellow), Kareem Moses, Dorion Robinson, Aubrey David, Jevon Morris.
Coach—Rajesh Latchoo.
W Connection—Jan Michael Williams, Elijah Joseph (capt), Kern Cupid, Andrei Pacheco (Yellow) (Hashim Arcia 67th), Romauld Aguillera, Kemuel Rivers, Silvio Spann (Matthew Bartholomew 54th), Hughtun Hector, Keron Cummings (Clyde Leon 46th), Akeem Benjamin, Christian Viveros.
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier.
Match Referee—Shane De Silva.
