East Mucurapo dumps Royalians on penalty kicks.
By Nigel Simon (Guardian).
Reigning champion East Mucurapo created the first major upset of this year’s tournament when it dumped Queen’s Royal College 5-4 on penalty-kicks in their North Zone Boys Coca-Cola Inter-Col quarterfinal match-up on St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair, yesterday.
Glenroy Pierre had given East Mucurapo, the North Zone Championship Division winners an 11th minute befor national youth tam midfielder Jean-Paul Rochford drew the Royalians level in the 35th after which both teams failed to find a winner in regulation time.
East Mucurapo will now face St Mary’s College in the zonal semifinal after the “Saints” came from behind to whip Blanchisseuse 3-1 at QRC Ground in their quarterfinal.
In the East Zone, Valencia also created a stir with a 2-1 win over Trinity East and will next face St Augustine which punished Toco 8-1 led by a hat trick from Anthony Samuel, both at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
Down South at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, St Benedict’s edged Pleasantville 1-0 on a Jaron Francois 19th minute goal while Presentation College of San Fernando blasted Vessigny 8-1 inspired by a Neon Lamie beaver trick, in the 14th, 16th, 19th and 61st.
And over in the sister isle, Tobago, Mason Hall got the better of Scarborough 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw while zonal league winners’ Signal Hill crushed Goodwood 3-0.
Pentecostal Light & Life faced Bishop’s High in a late match while the Central Zone quarterfinals takes place today.
Yesterday’s Zonal Coca-Cola Boys SSFL Inter-Col quarterfinal results:
East Zone:
Valencia 2 (Damien Weekes 38th, Hakeem Lee 45th) vs Trinity East 1 (Keshorn Hackshaw 7th)
St Augustine 8 (Anthony Samuel 40th, 44th, 86th, Jesse Joseph 6th, 22nd, Tyrik Alexander 84th, 87th, Kenton James 88th) vs Toco 1 (Lyndon Felix 29th)
Tobago:
Scarborough 1 (Kellon James 69th) vs Mason Hall 1 (K’Jaun John 30th)
– Mason Hall won 5-3 on penalty-kicks
Signal Hill 3 (Jalani James, Omarley James, N’Kosie Chance) vs Goodwood 0
Pentecostal L&L vs Bishop’s High – late match
South:
St Benedict’s 1 (Jaron Francois 19th) vs Pleasantville 0
Presentation 8 (Neon Lamie 14th, 16th, 19th, 61st, Akeel Bridgeman 81st, 86th, Kareem Riley 8th, Jarod Gordon 76th) vs Vessigny 1 (Omri Baird 67th)
North:
QRC 1 (Jean-Paul Rochford 35th) vs East Mucurapo 1 (Glenroy Pierre 11th)
– East Mucurapo won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
St Mary’s 3 vs Blanchisseuse 1
Today:
Central Zone:
Presentation vs Tabaquite, Presentation Ground, Chaguanas, 3.30 pm
Couva East vs Miracle Ministries, Couva East, 3.30 pm
Chaguanas North vs ASJA, New Settlement Ground, Chaguanas 3.30 pm
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Mucurapo beat QRC, move into North Zone InterCol semis
By Sean Taylor (Express).
It seems that East Mucurapo Secondary have the right formula for knockout football, as the reigning national champions reached the Coca-Cola North Zone InterCol quarter-finals against Queen's Royal College at the St Mary's ground in St Clair yesterday.
Mucurapo, who campaigned in the Championship division this season, and won the competition last year despite being relegated from the Premier Division, had to rely on the penalty shootout to overcome the “Royalians,” winning 5-4 from the spot after the match finished in a 1-1 draw.
They will face St Mary's College in the semi-finals on Friday after CIC had a comfortable 3-1 win over Blanchisseuse Secondary at the QRC ground.
Meanwhile in the southland, Presentation College San Fernando clobbered Vessigny Secondary 8-1, while St Benedict's College edged Pleasantville 1-0 in their respective quarter-finals. The win means “Pres” will take on Benedict's in the South Zone semi-finals at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium on Friday.
Back in the north, QRC could not make the most of their dominance in the first half when they held on to the ball for nearly an eternity.
QRC's Jean-Paul Rochford missed a sitter at the near post when he side-footed his volley wide in the tenth minute.
Mucurapo were dangerous only on the sporadic counter-attack, and scored against the run of play when QRC custodian Jadel Poon-Lewis failed to tip over Glenroy Pierre's left-footer from outside the 18-metre box.
The “Royalians” kept the ball moving has the half wore on, and eventually got their reward in the 39th minute, when their ace Rochford made space for a firm left-footer that went in past Terral Cambridge in the Mucurapo goal.
However, QRC lost their edge in the second half and were unable to take the few chances they made, while Mucurapo came more into their own as the match approached the dreaded penalty shootout.
Cambridge was the hero in the shootout for the reigning InterCol champions, as he dove to his left to make a smart save when QRC's Keyshawn Villafana took his spot kick.
The miss meant Mucurapo substitute Ishaq Abdulla had the chance to send his team into the semis and he made no mistake from the spot, prompting wild celebrations at the end.
The Royalians on the other hand, would have to wait until next year, as their season is over.
Tomorrow's fixtures
(All matches at 3.30pm)
Central Zone
Presenatation College Chaguanas v Tabaquite Secondary
Couva East Secondary v Miracle Ministries
Chaguanas North Secondary v ASJA Boys Secondary