Reigning champions Central FC and last season's runners-up W Connection will contest the 2016 final of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, a rematch of last season's decider at the Stade Sylvio Cator Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from 7 pm this evening.
This after both T&T Pro League clubs won their semi-final matches at the same venue on Friday night.
In the opener, four-time champions W Connection defeated Jamaica's Arnett Gardens 2-0 with a goal each from Alvin Jones and Shahdon Winchester while Central FC got the better of Don Bosco on penalty-kicks after a 1-1 draw. Both T&T clubs qualified for next season's Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
W Connection, now into their seventh Club Championship final and the most successful club in the tournament, went ahead as early as the second minute when Jones netted. Winchester, following some good play by Jomal Williams, made it 2-0 in first half stoppage time.
Central, in a rematch of last season's semi-final against Don Bosco, needed kicks from the penalty mark again to get past the Haitians after 120 minutes of play produced a 1-1 score. Last year's semi-final also needed penalty kicks to decide the winners.
Sean De Silva gave Central the lead in the third minute of extra time from a free kick but Don Bosco equalised through Kerlins Georges from the penalty spot in the 104th minute to send the match into the penalty shootout. The "Couva Sharks" won 4-2, thanks to two saves from goalkeeper Javon Sample who had replaced injured Akel Clarke during the second half of regular time.
Also today, Don Bosco and Arnett Gardens will battle in the Club Championship third place match from 4.30 pm to decide the third and final Caribbean berth into next season's Concacaf Champions League.
W Connection, who were defeated 2-1 in the final last season by debutants Central, were outright Caribbean champions in 2006 and 2009, and joint winners in 2001, 2002 and 2013 after no final rounds were contested following group play.
This season the Stuart Charles-Fevrier coached-W Connection progressed from the group stage wins over Dominican Republic side Atlantico FC (4-2), Guadeloupe's Club Sportif Moulien (5-1) and Suriname's Inter Moengo Tapoe (3-1) when they hosted the Caribbean Club Championship 2016 Group One in T&T in February.
Central FC is now coached by former assistant coach Dale Saunders who is assisted by ex-T&T internationals and 2006 World Cup members Stern John and Brent Sancho, who is also the club's managing director.
They were also perfect in topping Group Three contested in Jamaica in March with wins over Cayman Islands side Scholars International (6-0) and hosts Montego Bay United (1-0).
Don Bosco FC, hosted Group Two in Haiti, and comfortably topped their group with wins over Bermuda side Somerset CC (5-0) and Guadeloupe's La Gauloise de Basse-Terre (3-1), while Arnett Gardens topped Group Four in the Dominican Republic by defeating Haiti's America FC (3-0), Suriname's SV Notch (8-4) and host team Club Atletico Pantoja (1-0).
RESULTS
Friday's CFU Club Championship semifinal results:
Venue: Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
W Connection 2 (Alvin Jones 2nd', Shahdon Winchester 45th) vs Arnett Gardens 0
Central FC 1 (Sean De Silva 93rd) vs Don Bosco FC 1 (Kerlins Georges 104th)–Central won 4-2 on penalty-kicks.