Newly-crowned Digicel Pro League champion, bmobile Joe Public and Caribbean Football Union Club title-holder, W Connection will clash in the FA Trophy final tonight at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, from 7pm. In the semifinals on Monday night, defending champion Caledonia AIA squandered a number of early chances as record-chasing Joe Public came from behind for a 3-1 triumph, while Dominican Republic striker Jonathan Frias scored the lone goal for W Connection nine minutes from full time for a 1-0 win over fellow South-based club, United Petrotrin. Both matches were played at the Tunapuna venue. Unmarked at the far post, Frias collected a cross-field pass from Brazilian Jose Luis Seabra and fired past national Under-20 goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel from close range.
Samuel had earlier pulled off a number of saves to deny the Savonetta Boys, FA winners in 1999, 2000 and 2002, from going ahead much earlier in the match. At the other end of the field, Petrotrin's best chance came in the 84th minute, via substitute Arnold Dwarika, who forced goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams into a finger-tip save to push over a long range looping effort. In the end, W Connection, held on for a deserve win and a shot at claiming its fourth FA crown, and a third win over Joe Public in a final after a sudden-death win in 1999 and a penalty-kicks triumph, a year later. Earlier, Caledonia, hunting a second straight FA title, took the early initiative against Joe Public. However, striker Akim Armstrong was twice denied by Joe Public's Colombian goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa; while striking partner, Keyon Edwards also came close, all inside the first 15 minutes.
Caledonia, which was without the injured national midfield duo of Densil Theobald and Keon Daniel, finally took the lead in the 29th minute through winger Kareem Joseph. Joseph worked his way into the right hand side of the 18-yard box and played a one-two with Ryan Stewart, before catching Figueroa off his first post with a fierce drive. The lead was shortlived though, as two minutes later, Micah Lewis replied from close range from a right sided Kerry Baptiste feed. Guyanese defender and Caledonia captain, Charles Pollard almost regained the lead for the Stallions with a powerful downward header from a left sided free kick by countryman Walter Moore. Once again, Figueroa was equal to the task and turned the ball away for a corner with a low save to his left to leave both clubs1-1 at the interval.
On the resumption, Joe Public upped its tempo and in the 56th minute went 2-1 ahead via a penalty from Baptiste, his 47th goal of the season. The spot kick was awarded by referee Gregory Guevara against Caledonia's Jamaican goalkeeper Kevin Graham for a needless foul on Lewis inside the 18-yard box. Graham redeemed himself somewhat with two clever saves, firstly from a Baptiste chip and then from a one-on-one with former Caledonia playmaker, Hayden Tinto, who was put through on goal, by another ex-Caledonia member, substitute Conrod Smith. On the stroke of full time, another substitute Devon Leacock sealed the win for Joe Public with a low drive past a diving Graham.
The Eastern Lions, who clinched the FA Trophy in 2001, 2004 and 2007, have already won the Pro League, Big Six and Toyota Classic crowns and are also in Friday's Digicel Pro Bowl final against Caledonia. Tonight, their focus will be on a first win over W Connection in an FA final, which carries a first prize of $80,000, the FA trophy and 25 gold medals. The runners-up will get $40,000 and 25 silver medals while Petrotrin and Caledonia, the losing semifinalists each collect $15,000. Other awards include $2,000 each for the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and the scorer of the most goals. The Fair Play recipient will get $5,000.
RESULTS
Monday's FA Trophy semifinal results:
Venue: Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
W Connection 1 (Jonathan Frias 81st) vs Petrotrin 0.
Joe Public 3 (Micah Lewis 31st, Kerry Baptiste 56th pen, Devon Leacock 90th) vs Caledonia 1 (Kareem Joseph 29th)
Today's final:
Joe Public vs W Connection, 7 pm.
