Soaring South-based team, Club Sando became the first National Super League club to secure a spot in the final of the T&T Toyota Classic Cup, when it secured a last-gasp 3-2 win over the favoured Pro League club, Defence Force, in the last-four stage at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on Saturday.A goal three minutes into time added on from Club Sando midfielder Devon Modeste was one for the history books for a team, which only recently copped its first major title, the NSL Knockout trophy. It was the opening double-header fixture, which was followed by a convincing 3-0 win for W Connection over another Super League standout Guaya United.
As a result, both teams booked a spot in this Friday's final.Club Sando, which has signalled its intention to enter top flight football for the first time next season, remarkably defeated two Pro League clubs, Police FC (3-1) and Caledonia AIA (on penalty kicks), to reach the semifinal, before trumping Defence Force, a club which finished runner-up last year.Modeste's winner came within in the fourth minute of time added on, less than 10 minutes after T&T international Devorn Jorsling scored an 84th minute goal to level the score at 2-2. It was a goal, which saw Defence Force rally from a two-goal deficit.
Kerron Smith opened for Club Sando in the 14th minute to give his team a 1-0 half time lead, before Anthony Parris slotted home a penalty in the 77th minute to seemingly give Club Sando in a comfortable position. However, a minute later, Jerwyn Balthazar initiated a comeback for coach Ross Russell's Defence Force. It was not to be for Army, which never won the competition and just once reached the final, as Modeste the third of three former TT Pro League players on target for Club Sando, scored with little time to spare.The second fixture, which ended in a relatively comfortable win for W Connection, two-time winner of the competition, came with three second-half efforts. T&T midfielder Joevin Jones opened five minutes into the second half, before Hashim Arcia (64th) and Neil Benjamin Jr (74th) completed a routine win for the Savonnetta Boys, ending Guaya's dream run.The two finalists will meet on Friday for a shot at $50,000. The runner-up will take home $20,000.
Result
Saturday's semifinal
Club Sando 3 (Kerron Smith 14th, Anthony Parris pen 77th, Devon Modeste 90th+3) v Defence Force 2 (Jerwyn Balthazar 78th Devorn Jorsling 84th)
W Connection 3 (Joevin Jones 50th, Hashim Arcia 64th, Neil Benjamin Jr 74th) v Guaya United 0