nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt
There will be no League and Cup double for FC Santa Rosa this season in the T&T Super League.
This after the newly crowned league champions bowed out of the Cup semifinals after a 4-3 penalty-kicks loss to rivals, Cunupia FC after a pulsating 3-3 full-time draw at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima on Sunday night.
The crowd hardly had time to digest the outcome of the night’s first match between Queen’s Park Cricket Club and Petit Valley/Diego Martin United, when
Kevon Cornwall fired Santa Rosa ahead in the first minute, only for Kevon “Showtime” Woodley to get Cunupia back on level terms in the 22nd from the penalty spot.
However, two minutes later, Giovanni Abraham restored Santa Rosa’s slim lead.
Michael Darko then drew Cunupia level again in the 31st minute and a minute into time added on at the end of the first-half, Woodley, the league’ s top scorer put his club ahead for the first time.
The second-half was a much more cagey affair with both clubs struggling to add to their tally, until Noel Williams banged home an 83rd minute equalizer for Santa Rosa to keep outgoing coach, Derek King, who will be off to Canada to link up with former national coach Stephen Hart, hopes of a second title this season alive.
But it was not to be as in the penalty shoot-out, Cunupia showed better nerves and firm finishing to edge the match, 4-3.
In the final, Cunupia will face Super League runner-up, Queen’s Park Cricket Club, comfortable 3-0 winners over Petit Valley/Diego Martin United in their semifinal with Rashad Griffith scoring in the 23rd minute, before Devon Modeste’s double, in the 41st and 67th minutes.
The final will be played at the same Arima venue on Sunday from 6 pm.