Jomal Williams tucked away a gorgeous winner after setting up an equaliser to help W Connection rally from a goal down to dethrone rivals Central FC as First Citizens Cup champions on Friday night."It's an unbelievable feeling," said Williams. "I'm really happy to be the one to set up the first goal then the winner in a game like this."
Williams said his team's performance had a lot to do with "winning confidence and revenge after being second to Central for most of recent times."Our attitude and professionalism in this game along with the drive to be champions for the first time in a very long time had everything to do with it.
"During the half time break and a goal down we realised the only chance is to give everything. It was a final. In the second half we worked harder as a team."
Before a crowd of some 2,000 that packed the covered section of the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, a lifted pass by Williams in the 69th minute had set Shahdon Winchester free, and although sandwiched between two defenders the forward slipped the ball through the legs of an advancing goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams for a 1-1 score.
It was a treat for fans, although trying to remain devoted to their respective sides as the two-time defending champions, Central FC, and six-time former champions, W Connection, battled it out fiercely.
Central had taken a 1-0 lead five minutes before the break, as spectators erupted into excitement at the Couva venue when midfielder Sean De Silva ran onto a cheeky Willis Plaza heeled pass inside the area and smashed the ball past Connection goalkeeper Julani Archibald and into the far netting.
That goal came as spectators were just settling back into their seats after a Winchester strike had rattled the Central crossbar two minutes earlier.Winchester, who finished with three goals along with teammate Williams (Jomal), was denied a second time by the crossbar in the 79th minute as both sides continued on missed opportunities.
However Connection had taken the lead 2-1 three minutes earlier when crafty midfielder Jomal executed a perfectly placed curling right-footer into the far netting of Jan-Michael's netting, signalling an end to the Central's two-year rule of the First Citizens Cup, one of seven honours achieved last season, including the Digicel Pro League and Caribbean Club Championship.
Central FC head coach Ross Russell reacted by dispatching three more forwards, Nicholas Dillon, Marcus Joseph and Mickaeel Jem Gordon, but 2-1 it stood at the end.Connection, who added insult to injury by giving striker Dwight Quintero a late run at his former side, did just enough, with a couple defensive changes, to hold off Central and in the process, snapped the Couva Sharks nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
In the previous six meetings, Central had defeated Connection three times, including the 2015 Caribbean Club Championship final and the 2015-16 season-opening Digicel Charity Shield, and had two drawn matches. While the Savonetta Boys' previous victory was 13 months ago in the 2014 Charity Shield.
When the curtain finally came down on Friday night, Central forward Willis Plaza finished as the First Citizens Cup 2015 Top Scorer with five goals, but the Couva Sharks, champions of 2013 and 2014, had to settle for runners-up medals and the accompanying $20,000 while W Connection, winners in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, etched their name in 2015.
"It's a great feeling," said Jomal as he beamed with pride. "The atmosphere is great as you can see. It's something we really wanted for our president (David John-Williams) and coach (Stuart Charles-Fevrier) and the rest of the staff. This means a lot for the club."
Connection finally had grip on the crystal trophy after seven long years and received the $110,000 champions' prize.
"A final is a final but because Central were the most dominant team last year, it really satisfying to show that we can defeat them when it matters most," W Connection head coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier said of his team's victory.
"We have a very young squad and tonight I am very pleased that we were able to dethrone Central, who are also the champions of the league last season. It says a lot to defeat the champions in a final.
"It was a keenly contested game but we showed that we deserved the win. We created much more goalscoring opportunities and at the end we won the game. We definitely showed that we were fitting champions.
"It's a nice feeling because last year we didn't win any [major] competition, only the (Digicel) Charity Shield."
Charles-Fevrier, the eventual Coach of the Tournament, also said, "Today is a step in the right direction. It will also give us confidence for the rest of the season. We want to try to win everything this season. It's always our goal to win everything we compete in, and it won't be different this season."
Williams (Jomal) picked up the final MVP award while Club Sando, tournament newcomers, also joined winners-row as third place medal receivers and the accompanying $10,000 after defeating Morvant Caledonia United (MCU) 4-2 in the earlier match at the Couva venue.
Results
Final
W Connection 2 (Shahdon Winchester 69', Jomal Williams 76') vs Central FC 1 (Sean De Silva 40')
Third Place Play-Off
Morvant Caledonia United 2 (Eugine Kirwan 20', Kennedy Isles 66') vs Club Sando 4 (Kevon Woodley 16', Akeem Humphrey 26', 34', Anthony Parris 45'+1)