Caledonia shuts down T&TEC

Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA coasted into the last four of the First Citizens Cup with a comfortable 2-0 shut-out of T&TEC in the feature match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Friday night. Going into the encounter, Caledonia, which defeated T&TEC 2-1 in last year’s final at the same venue, was eager to end its wretched Concacaf Champions League and domestic league form which has spanned four games all together and in the fifth minute, Keyon Edwards glanced in the opener from a Sheldon Holder left-sided centre to get the Morvant/Laventille club the perfect start. Four minutes later, Holder found the target himself for a 2-0 advantage over the “Electricity Boys” who never recovered and took an early exit from this year’s tournament, after reaching the final in its first season in the league last year. 

 

Earlier on in the first match at Mucurapo, Devon Modeste netted a 70th-minute winner as St Ann’s Rangers stunned North East Stars 2-1. Rangers were put under early pressure and after weathering this storm took a 28th-minute lead through Jason Marcano, which it carried into the break. On the resumption, Stars, which looked a shadow of the team that swept past Caledonia 3-1 in its league opener, piled on the pressure and finally put away one of their chances created through Cornel Glenn in the 67th minute, a precise header. However, three minutes later, Cameron Roget headed down a right-sided centre into the path of Modeste to tap home from close range past goalkeeper Cleon John.

Down at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, there were contrasting wins for six-time winner DirecTV W Connection and two-time champions Defence Force.

 

The “Savonetta Boys,” as W Connection are called, were pressed all the way, before securing a 3-1 penalty-kicks triumph over Police after a 0-0 draw, while strikers Richard “Shaka” Roy and Devorn Jorsling combined for all three goals in Defence Force’s 3-0 trouncing of newcomer Central FC, after a 0-0 first 45 minutes. Roy got his goals in the 48th and 70th minute, while Jorsling added a third item on the stroke of full-time. In the semifinal round on September 28, Defence Force faces Rangers and Caledonia plays W Connection for places in the final to be played on October 5. The winners will walk away with the $80,000 cheque, while the runner-up gets $20,000. In addition, the tournament’s top scorer and Most Valuable Player will each collect $1,000, while the MVP of each game gets $500. The “Dash for Cash” winner at each game will also receive $500, however, for the final they will collect $1,000.