Point Fortin beaten on and off the field as Guaya advance to meet W Connection in Toyota Classic.
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Guaya United coloured the borough of Point Fortin green on Sunday after defeating home side Point Fortin Civic 2-0 at the Mahaica Oval in the quarter-final round of the 2013 Toyota Classic.
The Super League powerhouse, buoyed by its devoted followers dressed in their green supporter jerseys, which clearly outnumbered the red and yellow colours of Point Fortin, took an early advantage before completing the 2-0 win late.
Former T&TEC FC player and present Guaya right-back, Jody Allsop, fired the visitors ahead in the 8th minute when his deflected strike from inside the area wrong-footed Point Fortin goalie Marvin Phillip for the 1-0 score.
Influential Guaya midfielder and former Caledonia AIA and North East Stars player, Ryan Stewart, had a usually dominating performance in the centre, and was assisted by two-time former Trinidad and Tobago Youth World Cup player, Leston Paul.
“You are looking at national material,” said Guaya head coach Ron La Forest, commenting on his midfield duo following the match. “They are the two best playing midfielders we have in the country right now.”
It was Stewart’s pass into the area that was touched towards Allsop for the opening item. And although missing the target twice and having a 71st minute free-kick saved by Phillip, Stuart provided the telling pass that set former North East Stars player Kevin Jagdeosingh free inside the area to shoot past a hapless Phillip for a 2-0 score and setting the majority of the crowd into wild celebrations.
“It’s big …big …big for the community,” an elated La Forest said. “It’s good. We were playing away from home and it was a pleasure to score away from home that early. (And) the second item was the icing on the cake.
“(Our players) were a bit dehydrated in the early part of the game because of the sun, but as we went along and settled down, we started to get into it, which I admire very much.”
La Forest was ejected from the technical area 37 minutes into the match, by referee Rashby Mc Phie on instruction of fourth official Cecil Hinds, admitted he told off Hinds after he felt that he was harassed by the official while trying to give instructions to his players.
Guaya, which defeated North East Stars 2-0 in the preliminary round, now advances to meet DIRECTV W Connection in the Toyota Classic semi-final round next weekend, and La Forest isn’t fazed by the challenge.
“Let me go and lie down on that,” he said. “…and see if I can remember the Stuart Charles (Fevrier) we are playing, and then I will adjust.
“It’s a good experience for Guaya. Remember we are local all the time, and if we getting the opportunity (against Connection and their Brazilian and Colombian players), then let us play foreigners.”
Connection reached the semi-final round by defeating Super League outfit Malabar FC 4-1 on Saturday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
Apart from Ryan Stewart’s attempts, Guaya had a look at goal in the 27th minute from a late-dipping free-kick by Carlon Hughes which flew just overbar.
The visitors had another attempt in the 64th minute but goalscorer Allsop’s low effort from distance was comfortably wrapped by Phillip. And following the second Guaya item, Phillip made another save to deny Allsop in the 90th minute.
However Guaya didn’t dominate the show, and had Point Fortin finish their chances it would have been an entirely different score-line.
Point Fortin midfielder Andrei Pacheco was denied by the upright on two occasions; first with his half volley off a Kelvin Modeste in the 18th minute, and in the 73rd minute from his header off an Andre Toussaint corner.
In the 25th minute Guaya goalkeeper Kevon Saunders chested behind a Marcus Joseph, and four minutes later the Point Fortin midfielder struck overbar from the top of the area.
Defender Weslie John was also off target for the home side, heading overbar a Modeste freekick seconds before the break.
And after Joseph’s cry for a foul in the 77th minute only won Point Fortin a free-kick at the edge of the area, coach Reynold Carrington’s men missed two excellent scoring opportunities in the final ten minutes—the culprit substitute Andre Alexis.
One minute after replacing Pacheco in the 79th minute, Alexis failed to make contact to a Steven Joseph cross inside the six yard area with goalkeeper Saunders at his mercy. Then in the 86th minute his diving attempt to meet Ancil Wells’ cross was in vain.
Point Fortin in the end, failing to duplicate their 11-0 performance against Super League outfit Stokely Vale a week ago in the preliminary round at the same venue.
In the other semi-final also set for next weekend, Super League leaders Club Sando, which defeated Caledonia AIA 11-10 on penalties following a 2-2 quarter-final round draw, will meet Defence Force, 4-1 winners over Central FC.
Results
Point Fortin Civic 0—2 Guaya United
Jody Allsop 8’, Kevin Jagdeosingh 88’
Teams
Point Fortin Civic FC—1. Marvin Phillip, 6. Kelvin Modeste (capt.), 2. Garyl Doldron, 4. Weslie John, 5. Andre Ettienne, 13. Ancil Wells, 19. Andrei Pacheco (21. Andre Alexis 79th), 7. Nickcolson Thomas, 10. Marcus Joseph (Yellow Card), 20. Sylvester Teesdale (8. Steven Joseph 63rd), 11. Andre Toussaint
Unused substitutes—26. Miguel Payne (GK), 29. Kevin Rouse, 18. Akeem Redhead, 15. Keron Neptune, 3. Lyndon Diaz
Coach—Reynold Carrington
Guaya United—1. Kevon Saunders, 17. Ryan Stewart (capt.), 4. Kevin Jagdeosingh, 5. John Stewart, 7. Jody Allsop (Yellow Card), 9. Earlon Thomas (6. Zavion Navarro 69th), 10. Carlon Hughes (Yellow Card)(27. Kheelon Mitchell 85th), 14. Sherlon Campbell, 18. Leston Paul, 19. Beville Joseph, 77. Leroy Jones
Unused substitutes—80. Marius Des-Cartes (GK), 2. Marcus Ramkhelawan, 3. Akeil Alvarez, 8. Kerdell Alfred, 70. Kheelon Ferrier
Coach—Ron LaForest
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