Twice would have certainly been nice for North East Stars. However, it was DirecTV W Connection that triumphed on Friday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium in the final of the 2012-2013 season Lucozade Sport Goal Shield.
Connection finished 4-3 winners on kicks from the penalty spot following a goalless stalemate to lift its second ever Goal Shield and maiden title this season. Connection lifted the inaugural title in 2009.
"Don't ever count us out!" said W Connection owner/president David John-Williams, with a huge smile.
While North East Stars, notably without its ace goalscorer Cornell Glen, due to a calf strain picked up in the quarterfinal round, finished runners-up, falling to its first defeat this season against the Central club after five meetings.
Connection's Colombian goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa made two stops, denying the Stars' first (Elijah Manners) and fourth (Keithy Simpson) penalty kickers from bettering a superb shutout by goalkeeper Cleon John against the "Savonnetta Boys" second kick (Silvio Spann).
North East Stars reached Friday's final by defeating the Soldiers 5-4 on penalty kicks, with goalkeeper John making two saves, all following a 1-1 draw. And it was two saves from John on kicks from the penalty mark against the Tetron-based Defence Force that allowed the Sangre Grande club to lift this season's Toyota Classic title last December 4-2 on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
Unfortunately, John's quality and heroics between the uprights only afforded the Angus Eve-coached Stars one save, as Connection's Joevin Jones, Tremain Shayn Paul, Jomal Williams and Clyde Leon celebrated goals against the Trinidad and Tobago international.
Figueroa, now 34, who represented Connection between 2001 and 2005, only returned to the club in January as replacement for Jan Michael-Williams, who eventually departed the club in March, as a result of a verbal bust-up between himself and Fevrier.
The Colombian had little work during regulation time against the Stars and 2010 Goal Shield winners, who failed at adding a second title to the Sangre Grande cabinet this season.
In the 28th minute, Figueroa thwarted a tame effort from distance by Stars' midfielder Jeromie Williams, and did the same against second-half attempts by substitute Micah Lewis (56th minute) and Elton John (88th minute).
But it was Lewis who should have had the Stars in front with the opportunity of the match. Lewis was played in by a pass on the right by Kerry Baptiste but after taking a touch towards goal, the Stars' winger launched a weak strike towards Figueroa near first post.
Baptiste later received what was his second booking on the night in the 72nd minute after a foul on Daneil Cyrus, reducing the Stars to ten men. And Connection were down to ten men as well, by the 81st minute, when no-nonsense referee Rodphin Harris also gave Stefano Rijssel his marching orders with a direct red card for what everyone presumed dissent.
Following the match Connection's assistant coach Earl Jean shared that Rijssel, of Suriname, explained he was only shouting to one of his teammates.
Rijssel had earlier forced the first real save out of goalkeeper John, with a strike from the top of the area in the 53rd minute, followed by an ignored penalty shout by Connection when Jones went down inside the area five minutes later against defender Kareem Moses.
Then in the 63rd minute from a free kick just outside the area following a foul on Rijssel by Moses, Jones whipped a left-footed attempt over the wall but that was easily gathered by John.
North East Stars did well to keep Jones, eventual most outstanding player of the tournament, at bay, however, the 21-year-old was still the liveliest on the night.
Eighteen minutes into the match, a Jones free-kick from the right offered Cyrus a chance at goal, but the defender's glancing header only guided the ball over.
And a minute later Jones tried his luck from distance, but the bouncing effort wasn't really threat for goalkeeper John.
Jones was at it again in the 38th minute but sliced his effort well wide. Teammate Andrei Pacheco had a tame one at John in the 45th minute, and before the halftime whistle, solid defending by Glenton Wolfe choked another Pacheco effort.
North East Stars meantime didn't get the expected Glen effect, upfront, from Elijah Manners who had a difficult time against the Connection backline with veteran Eligah Joseph and new standout Cyrus.
Backed by a rhythm section and its very vocal supporters, the Sangre Grande club had the last bite at the cherry in the 92nd minute when substitute Keithy Simpson struck wide of the upper corner and should have done much better after the cleared ball from a corner fell to him just inside the area.
–Courtesy T&T Pro League Web site
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