Fatima, Green Machine set for thriller
By Kern De Freitas (Trinidad Express)
At the end of 90 minutes, or whatever extra time is necessary to separate the teams, either Fatima College or St Augustine Secondary Comprehensive will break a national Intercol drought of more than 20 years when they clash at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 4.30 p.m. today.
And St Augustine will have a shot at double national Intercol success when their girls take on Port of Spain-based Providence Girls High School from 2.30 p.m.
New Intercol champions will also be crowned among the girls in the first match of the double-header, with 2004 winners Malick Secondary Comprehensive out of the reckoning.
Ironically, the boys' match-up will be a repeat of the 1981 Intercol final, the last time one of these teams captured the most prestigious of Secondary Schools Football League titles.
Then, it was St Augustine coming away victors.
Both teams have battled doggedly to get this far in the RBTT-sponsored knockout competition. The "Green Machine" had to fight their way past a determined San Juan Secondary Comprehensive outfit twice, in the national semi-final (1-0) and the East Intercol final (2-1). It also took a stunning Elton John extra time free kick to get them beyond North Zone League champs Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive 2-1.
Fatima, on the other hand, have been cutting it much closer, with some dramatic wins throughout the tournament. In the North Zone Intercol final, it took a last-minute goal four minutes into stoppage time to put them level 4-4 against Mucurapo, giving them the impetus for a 5-4 penalty kicks win.
And after a nonchalant triumph over Vessigny Government Secondary, Fatima squeezed in another 1-1 draw in the final minute against "Big Five" winners and South Zone champs Naparima, before a 4-3 victory on penalties on Wednesday brought them to this point.
With pride, history, and Intercol glory at stake between two very attacking teams, expect a tough encounter at the Stadium today.
It may not be all-out attack as is suggested on paper, though, as in their semi-final with San Juan, 'Gustine' have shown they can be quite content to sit back and defend the early lead.
But such a move against their current opponents could prove detrimental to their cause as, this season, Fatima have displayed an above average accuracy with the long ball and set plays, as well as a knack for finding goals at the death.
In addition, a win for either team will give them their third national Intercol title, and end a long wait in the wilderness.
St Augustine have at least had some consolation with the national League title last year, but for Fatima, their last claim to national fame came in the Intercol final 26 years ago, in 1979.
Whichever way it goes, there is enough motivation on both sides to make for a thrilling final.
It will take another superb effort from the Green Machine to flatten a Fatima unit bent on redemption, and on re-writing a 24-year old script.
