Police FC and North East Stars completed the semifinal line-up in this year's First Citizens Cup after hard-fought wins over St Ann's Rangers and ten-man Caledonia AIA respectively on Saturday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
Police were gifted an early goal but needed a stoppage time Elijah Belgrave goal in their quarter-final clash to overcome a gutsy Rangers 2-1 while Stars topped Caledonia 4-1 on kicks from the penalty spot after a tight 1-1 draw with two-time winners Caledonia AIA.
The Angus Eve-coached Stars went ahead 1-0 in the 24th minute but surrendered the advantage before the break against a side lifted by a classy Densill Theobald performance.
A glancing header former Caledonia player Tyrone Charles off Kennedy Hinkson's free-kick from the right had left goalkeeper Shemel Louison and the Morvant/Laventille side beaten.
But on the 44th minute a crack from distance by attacker Pernell Schultz took a wicked deflection to beat Stars goalkeeper Cleon John for a 1-1 scoreline before the break.
Caledonia head coach Jamaal Shabazz introduced Keyon Edwards on the restart for freshness in attack at the expense of Julian Wade but only got 11 minutes out of the forward. A clearly shocked and dismayed Edwards, who had gone to ground following a pull by Stars' defender Dwane James during an attack, was shown a direct red card for abusive language towards referee match referee Meville Wallace, who determined the Caledonia player's fate.
Stars however failed to capitalise on the one-man advantage and were limited to an 84th minute curling Charles effort, as their best second half effort, which Louison dived to his left to keep out.
For Stars, Keron "Ball Pest" Cummings, Charles, and Aquil Selby all converted from the spot before teammate Hinkson sealed the deal with his team's fourth conversion for a 4-1 triumph to set up a semifinal clash on Friday with another two-time champion San Juan Jabloteh, which has played "giant-killer" so far this season dumping six-time winner DirecTV W Connection 2-0 in the quarterfinal last Friday after outing two-time champions, Defence Force 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the lone qualifier.
In the other semifinal of the $100,000 take all competition on October 24, Police will meet defending champions Central FC, 3-2 penalty winners over Pt Fortin Civic following a 1-1 draw last Friday.
The Lawmen took lead in the third minutes against St Ann's Rangers when captain midfielder Todd Ryan scored from the penalty-spot past goalkeeper Christopher Biggette after referee Keilon Bacchus had whistled for a handle ball on Rangers captain Jelani Peters from a Micah Richards cross.
Eleven minutes from the full-time, Police's Marcus Chandool had a chance to double his team's lead but it was cleared off the line and two minutes later Ragers made full use of that lifeline when substitute Kenndey Isle fired past Police custodian Adrian Foncette to level the match at 1-1.
However, with the seconds ticking away and penalty-kicks looming, Elijah Belgrave like Ryan, a former Rangers player came back to haunt his old owners when he powerfully headed home a corner by Chandool to snatch victory.
Before semifinal actions takes place on Friday, the league will resume with third day matches on Tuesday.
At Macoya, Jabloteh will take on Pt Fortin Civic from 6 pm and two hours later, Rangers and Police got at it again while down at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, defending league champions W Connection commences its defense against North East Stars from 6 pm followed by Central against Caledonia.
results
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Quarterfinals:
Jabloteh 2 (Newton Sterling 14th, Adrian Reid 35th pen) vs W Connection 0
Central FC 1 (Ataulla Guerra 42nd pen) vs Pt Fortin Civic 1(Andre Toussaint 2nd) � Central won 3-2 on penalty-kicks
Saturday:
(Venue: Marvin Lee Stadium)
Police FC 2 (Todd Ryan 3rd pen, Elijah Belgrave 90th) vs St Ann's Rangers 1 (Kennedy Isle 81st)
Caledonia AIA 1 (Pernell Schultz 44th) vs North East Stars 1 (Tyrone Charles 24th) _ Stars won 4-1 on penalties