Reigning T&T Pro League champion W Connection will meet high-flying Caledonia AIA in the final of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, from 8 pm. This is after both clubs, W Connection and Caledonia recorded comfortable victories over two-time champion Puerto Rico's Islanders (4-1) and USL Pro club Antigua Barracuda (2-0), respectively in the semi-final stage, at the same Marabella venue, on Tuesday night.
The feat for both clubs also meant they qualify for the upcoming Concacaf Champions League, the region's premier cup football competition. The Jamal Shabazz coached Caledonia AIA sealed its 2-0 victory with a powerful headed goal from defender Randanfah Abu Bakr in the 64th minute, and a decent finish from national attacker Devorn Josling (87th), who came on as a substitute. The third placed T&T Pro League finisher and the FA trophy winner, may have finished with several more goals as the home team had several more opportunities on target, but in the end Caledonia was confident with the 2-0 deficit.
Connection, meanwhile, did very well to reach the final with a 4-1 drubbing of the two-time defending champions. A brace from man-of-the-match Rennie Britto (27th, 66th) and single items from national Under-23 attacker Jerrel Britto (57th) and striker Hashim Arcia (90th) sealed a confident finish for the four-time CFU Championship winners. The only goal for Islanders came in the 72nd minute, through substitute Joshua Hansen. Islanders and Barracudas will battle in the first match at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, from 6 pm, this evening, for the third place play-off and the final spot in the Concacaf Champions League. The winner of the W Connection and Caledonia final will join a group which includes MLS club Seattle Sounders and Honduran club Marathon. The runner-up will be grouped with Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara and Guatemala's Xelaju, while the third place finisher joins David Beckham's MLS club LA Galaxy and El Salvador's Isidro Metapan.