Sam's blast not enough as Jabloteh fall again

Defence Force and North East Stars both clinched winning starts to the 2015 leg of the Pro League season with wins over San Juan Jabloteh and St. Ann's Rangers respectively yesterday. Defence Force left it late to secure a 2-1 win versus Jabloteh while Stars did their damage early against the struggling Rangers to seal a 1-0 win.

Jabloteh and Defence Force started at a high tempo in the second match of the Marvin Lee double header with the San Juan front line and midfield working overtime to press their opponents. The Army/Coast Guard combination had the first shot in anger through Richard Roy in the 3rd minute, but the bulky striker was not able to get his effort on frame.

Defence Force was playing their first game without longtime coach Ross Russell whose tenure in the Force has now come to an end after serving for some 26 years. Russell's former charges got the opening item in this contest in the 16th minute after a combination of good wing play and some sloppy defending by Jabloteh. Wide man Jemel Sebro coasted down the right hand flank before squaring a pass back into the penalty area that really should have been dealt with by young centre-back Isiah Mcintyre. However the St. Anthony's standout missed his clearance and left a relatively easy task for midfielder Josimar Belgrave to apply the finishing touch with his namesake Raheem Belgrave stranded in the San Juan goal. Jabloteh's hard early pressing had now been undone.

The youthful looking Jabloteh outfit which started three youngsters who played in the Secondary School League this season showed some promise but was unable to pose a great threat in the final third. One of those schoolboys, Brent Sam, had an opportunity to put his team back on terms in the 20th minute but the striker dragged his snap shot well wide.

The game never looked as though it would be a high scoring one and a second goal for Defence Force in the first period looked like it would seal the job. The goalscorer Belgrave again tried to put one past his namesake after some neat build up play but this time "Birdie" stood solid in the Jabloteh goal and was able to make the save.

Blegrave (J) was now a nuisance to the Jabloteh defense and was just inches away from putting his team up 2-nil at the start of the second half. He made a bustling run through the midfield, shrugging off everyone in his path it seemed, before hitting a low left-footed shot which came back off the post; Jabloteh left off the hook again. His teammate Glynn Franklyn kept up the trend of near misses as he sent his 61st minute header over bar following a corner.

In the 65th minute Jabloteh's Sam made his opponents pay for their wastefulness when he pulled out an absolute cracker that no one could have seen coming. Sam had been feeding on scraps till then so he decided to take things into his own hands it seems. A loose ball fell to Sam some 25 yards away from goal and the lanky striker turned instinctively before unleashing a left-footed cannon that flew past Sheldon Clarke's valiant dive. The high-flying David De Gea would have had problems plucking that one out of the air so Clarke should not be perturbed.

Jabloteh's Brent Sam scored a blinder last night. Here he lines up a free kick for San Juan North in a SSFL 2014 Premier Division Match. 

The game was really anybody's for the taking now as Sam's blast rejuvenated his team and woke up the Force as well. Defence Force's interim head coach Marvin Gordon responded by introducing midfielder Sean Narcis to replace wing-back Jelani Felix while Jabloteh's goalscorer Sam also had to make his way off after picking up an injury in a collision with Clarke.

Jabloteh's right-back Jevon Morris ensured that the game would end in dramatic fashion when he was sent off for his second bookable offence in the 75th minute. Skipper Kerry Baptiste was the player subsequently sacrificed as he made way for defender Dario Holmes.

The odds were now really stacked against Jabloteh as "The Army" knocked the ball around with precision to expose their opponents one-man deficit.

The ten men of Jabloteh nearly took the surprise lead in the 83rd minute when substitute Newton Sterling sent a glancing header just wide after Clarke made an ill-advised move to rush off his line.

Defence Force would put the game to bed just a minute later though as substitutes Kerry Joseph and Sean Narcis linked up well to get the second item. Joseph jinked passed a few challenges down the right-hand flank before finding an unmarked Narcis who deposited his effort with some style. There was nothing Belgrave (R) or the post could do about this effort.

Jabloteh did manage one last effort on goal in the 86th minute but Jamaican attacker Andell Noray saw his shot beaten away by Clarke; All three points to Defence Force then.

In the earlier match of the double header a 7th minute goal from Keron Cummins was enough for North East Stars to overcome St. Ann's Rangers who only have the solitary point to show seven games into the season.

"Come and support us"

By now, most persons in Trinidad and Tobago would know that our women's senior football team is on the cusp of a quite remarkable achievement, that's right the "Women Soca Warriors" as they've dubbed themselves are just one win away from World Cup qualification. In fact, the team has been a win away from a historic qualification berth for a few games but this time is different. This time it is a do or die situation and it's the last chance that both Ecuador and host T&T would have to qualify for next year's Women's World Cup to be staged in Canada. A first for either team if it happens.

Ecuador played to a near capacity crowd when they hosted the "Women Soca Warriors" in a high altitude Estadio Olmpico Atahualpa stadium back on November 8th and the local football administration promised a packed Hasely Crawford Stadium thereafter. The Warriors fought the altitude and their South American opponents hard to come away unscathed in a 0-0 result. A result which means that the onus is really on the host to win the game since the Ecuadorians will qualify with a drawn result, providing there are goals of course. It's an opportune time for the likes of Kennya Cordner, Ahkeela Mollon or veteran Tasha St. Louis to win the hearts of a nation forever.

Even with the match being so delicately poised coach Randy Waldrum does not expect a cagey encounter between the two teams. In an interview with Andre Errol Baptiste on WI Sports the coach stated that he does not foresee either team sitting back or even play for a draw in the encounter. He thanked the the government, TTFA and the fans for their support thus far and urged the spectators to be that 12th Warrior tomorrow, "Come out and support us." he lamented.

The "Women Soca Warriors" greet the girls primary schools finalists ahead of their national final earlier today.
Phtoto by TT Wolf

There has been a lot of heightened optimism and expectation surrounding the game with the general public, officials and players alike all expecting a T&T victory. The interest has been so great that the TTFA today sent out a press release which stated that there will only be a limited number of tickets (Uncovered $100, Covered $200) left to be sold at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 10 a.m. tomorrow. The question is, do you have your ticket in hand? If the answer is no then have no fear because local radio stations I95.5, Mix 99.1, Power 102FM and 105 FM have all indicated that they will be airing the game which starts at 6 p.m. CNMG will also be bringing the game for those who can't stand to hear the announcer shouting when nothing significant is going on.


But if you do have your ticket in hand then by all means come and support the "Women Soca Warriors" in your red, black or white as they embark on creating history and taking this country to a Football World Cup once more. It should be epic!

Oops! Mucurapo do it again

My Social Media Class Project has come to an end but I have been encouraged to continue the blog so here goes. This is a report of Saturday's Intercol semi-final between East Mucurapo Secondary and San Juan North Secondary. 

East Mucurapo Secondary continued their Cinderella run in this year’s Coca Cola National Intercol competition with a one-nil victory over San Juan North Secondary in the semi-final round. Mucurapo is now just one win away from copping the National Intercol title, a stark contrast to their Premier Division campaign which ended in relegation. Mucurapo have now overcome the likes of St. Anthony’s, St. Mary’s, Speyside and San Juan in their Intercol journey and only St. Benedict’s College stand between them and Intercol glory. Benedict’s have also proven that they are no fluke and can boast of ousting the Premier Division and Big 4 Champs ‘Naps’ on their way to the grand finale.

The game itself at the Larry Gomes Stadium wasn’t the most beautiful to watch as both teams struggled to get the ball on the ground and moving around, often reverting to long balls. San Juan’s giant duo of Josiah Trimingham and Brent Sam did not seem to have their almost telepathic understanding yesterday and their team was sluggish without it. Trimingham was deployed at his natural centre-back, but a dissimilar role to the one he played most of the season as a defensive midfielder. His absence in the centre of the park allowed for Mucurapo’s Glenroy Pierre and Micah Lansiquof to dictate most of the midfield play.

After a goalless first half both teams tried to up the ante in search of that all-important go ahead goal. Sam would have been one of the prime men to break the deadlock but the San Juan captain found an alert Aaron Enil in the Mucurapo goal when he tried to squeeze a shot in at the near post in the 49^th minute. Kathon St. Hillaire also tried his luck at breeching the deadlock but the Mucurapo forward shot just over after cutting in from the right flank.

In truth, St. Hillaire was one of the liveliest players on the pitch and often had Brandon Semper and Jamal Roach scampering on Mucurapo’s right flank to try and contain him. The wily forward got his just reward in the 71^st minute when an attempted clearance by Trimingham cannoned off him and settled neatly in the back of the net; San Juan’s custodian D’Eandre Villaroel was a mere spectator. It was a goal that summed up the match up to that point, scrappy. St. Hilliare’s teammates could care less how the goal came though and dashed after him hoping to get a hold of the man of the moment. St. Hilliarie stopped his runaway celebration by trying to calm down his teammates. 

San Juan’s coach Jerry Moe responded by making two substitutions in quick succession while also thrusting Trimingham a little further forward. The move to put Trimingham in an advanced role almost reaped reward in the 81^st minute but he was unable to keep his shot under the bar after Enil spilled a lofted delivery that came into the box. 

The big Josiah Trimingham tried his utmost to restore parity in the contest and almost did. Here he is in action vs St. Mary's College earlier on in the season.

The Bourg boys were finally showing urgency and even played ‘ball-boy’ for the Mucurapo players, as there were none available. The deadly Sam now turned into a long throw specialist and ushered his players into the penalty area, although he would have been better served being there himself.

San Juan did muster one last effort but Trimingham’s low right-footed drive was stylishly stopped by Enil in stoppage time. Pierre almost added the icing on top for the Mucurapo boys but his inventive finesse effort went just wide.

As it turned out a second item was not needed for the boys in burgundy as St. Hilliare’s fortunate effort, though he may claim otherwise, was the only goal of the contest.

 

San Juan North Secondary 0

East Mucurapo Secondary 1 (Kathon St. Hillaire 71)

Larry Gomes Stadium

(Fri Dec 5)

Girls’ Intercol final

Point Fortin East Secondary v St Augustine Secondary, 3 pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

Boys’ Intercol final

St Benedict’s College v East Mucurapo Secondary, 5 pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Last Post? My Favourite Sporting Moments

In this post, which may well be the last for my Class Project, I will reflect on my five favourite sporting moments to date. I am just 21 years of age so my favourite moments would not go far back. In fact my five favourite moments have all been within the past decade or so, therefore I trust that you will be familiar.

My favourite sports are cricket, football and athletics; and these very sporting disciplines make up my Top 5 Sporting Moments. This top 5 showcases some outstanding feats accomplished by sons of the soil and also the wider Caribbean. I hope you enjoy my Top 5 and I'm certain that one (or two) of these is fond in your memory as well.

5. Keshorn Walcott's Gold Medal Javelin Throw

Gold Medalist Keshorn Walcott shows off his new jewelry
Photo Courtesy Getty Images

This could have probably been higher given that we share a surname and all but Keshorn's outstanding effort at the 2012 London Olympics comes in at 5. This feat was made all the more incredible to me because Keshorn was still a junior and at the time was the World Junior Champ in the Javelin. This was not enough success for the Toco native though as his 84.58 metre throw topped his more experienced competitors and saw him capturing the second Olympic Gold Medal in this country's history. He shattered many records with his gigantic toss which included the national record mark for the Men's Javelin event, a mark which he has since increased to a staggering 85.77 metres. He also became the youngest Javelin Gold Medalist at the Olympics (aged 19 years, 131 days) and the first athlete to be the Junior and Olympic champ in the same year.                                                                                                                      


4. Brian Lara's Record Breaking 400 not out vs England

The Prince of Port of Spain rightfully reclaimed his record of having the highest individual score in a Test match innings when he battered the English bowling attack on a placid Antigua Recreational Ground pitch in April 2004. Lara's feat came some 10 years after his record breaking 375 against the same opposition and at the same venue; someone say deja vu? Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden had eclipsed Lara's 375 just months earlier but the classy left-hander was not having it. He put a torrid tour for himself and his West Indies team behind him with the groundbreaking effort, an effort which still stands untouched to this day. I was not witness to his 277 or his 501, so this 400 not out will have to do.

                                     Here is just a sample of what the 'Prince' did to England
                                     Video Taken from Youtube


3. Richard Thompson's Olympic Silver Medal in the 100m

Thompson's silver medal effort at the Beijing Olympics ranks a high third. The Men's 100 metre dash is probably the event that I show the keenest interest in when it comes to athletics, and even more so for the Olympic Games. "Thorpedo" bettered the likes of former world record holders Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay en route to his 9.89 (personal best at the time) second place finish in a final which was one by Usain Bolt. I think it's one of my favorite moments since I've always longed to see a Trini win Olympic Gold in one of the sprint events. Thompson did not get the gold but he was dang close; two tenths of a second close. The guy who beat him doesn't seem human anyway.

                                     
                                           Running against Bolt isn't even fair
                                           Video put together by Fraser Cairnduff



2. West Indies Champions Trophy Triumph in 2004

This was not too long after Lara's amazing 400* so West Indian fans had a lot to be happy about, and about time too. The West Indies cricket team had not won a trophy for over two decades and all I had known up to this point was heartache and teary eyes. Well the Bajan duo of Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw changed this when they dug the Windies out of a dicey situation at The Oval in England to upset the hosts. West Indies was batting 147 for 8 when the pair came together at the crease, still some 71 runs away from victory. I still had an inkling of hope at the time. The veteran pair turned that hope into unimaginable joy as they battled and toiled hard in the dimming evening light to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Bradshaw even borrowed a classic Lara cover-drive to seal the win.

Bradshaw and Browne celebrate to Alex Wharf's displeasure
Photo Courtesy Getty Images

1. T&T's qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany

This of course had to be Number 1

There are many fond memories from the "Soca Warriors" qualifying campaign for the 2006 football World Cup. However the one that stands out the most in my memory is the majestic header by the Dennis Lawrence against Bahrain which made this country's dreams of playing in a World Cup more than just a fantasy. The 6' 6" defender used all of his long frame to meet Dwight Yorke's corner and head into the Bahrain goal to cement his county's place in World Cup football history.
                               
                                                            Lawrence books the ticket to Germany
                                                                   Video taken from Youtube
                                                         

The other moments that should not be forgotten in the campaign include Chris Birchall's thunderous goal in the first leg of this very tie; Stern John's double vs Mexico to keep qualification hopes alive; and Kelvin Jack's stupendous stoppage time save in the second leg against Bahrain that helped secure that qualification spot.

My mum was fortunate enough to see the drama unfold in Germany as the "Soca Warriors" left an impression on the World. She brought back some souvenirs with her as well.

The Warriors line up for kickoff vs Paraguay in the final group match.
Photo courtesy Claudette Noel

Two Honourable Mentions are West Indies' triumph in the T20 World Cup in 2012 which was done in Gangnam Style and Paul Scholes' screamer vs Barcelona in the 2008 Champions League semi-final which paved the way for my team Manchester United to win it all in the final. What a goal though!

I have a feeling that December 2nd could provide many locals with another fond sporting memory. 

What do you think?

What are your favourite sporting moments?

Warriors escape to final with draw

The "Soca Warriors" advanced to the final of this year's edition of the Caribbean Cup after a goalless draw with Cuba at the Montego Bay Sport Complex in Jamaica last night. The defending champions Cuba needed a victory heading into the Group A match in order to top T&T in the group standings and then qualify for the final but that did not happen. This edition of the Caribbean Cup has no semi-final round and the teams that top the two groups will meet in a final instead. The "Warriors" did that honor last night and will now face either Haiti or the host Jamaica in Tuesday's final.

After a relatively good start to the game in the first five or so minutes, the "Warriors" backline began to look sluggish and invited the Cubans onto them. The Cuban front trio of Yoandir Puga, Ariel Martinez and Armando Curoneaux linked up to dangerous effect and the latter came close to scoring on a couple of occasions. First in the 8th minute Curoneaux was played in on goal by Puga after some nice play down the the left hand side but the speedy attacker failed to bend his shot around the big frame of Jan-Michael Williams. He forced Williams into action again eight minutes later after receiving a ball over the top of the two T&T central defenders but his stinging shot was palmed away for a corner.

Curoneaux and Cuba could count themselves really unlucky for not being awarded a penalty in the 22nd minute as Curoneaux again found himself beyond the defense but this time he was impeded in his progress by T&T defender Carlyle Mitchell; no foul given (it should have been though). This was just a small part of the shaky showing by Mitchell and his defensive partner Yohance Marshall on the night as the pair was prone to errors for much of the match.

Taking no prisoners: Mitchell in Caribbean Cup action in 2012.
Photo credit: Allan V. Crane

T&T's first real chance of the game, and quite possibly the best one fell to captain Kenwyne Jones in the 33rd minute. The burly Cardiff City striker was however unable to direct his header on goal after meeting a Cordell Cato corner. Kenwyne's namesake Joevin Jones had a crack at goal himself just moments later but the  utility player failed to cap off his neat one-two with Ataulla Guerra with a shot on target.

The second half was far less exciting than the first as both teams dropped their tempo considerably and seemed to be playing for a draw, a result which would see both through to next year's Gold Cup. Cuba's danger trio weren't as menacing as before, and that could be understood given that it was the third game the teams were playing in five days.

Referee Trevor Taylor probably had a tougher job than most in the second half as he tried his utmost it seems to keep 22 players on the pitch. Cuba's Alberto Gomez was a fortunate man to stay on the field following his dangerous sliding tackle that left T&T's diminutive Leston Paul riving in agony in the 63rd minute. Taylor had to have his wits about him again in the 75th minute as things threatened to escalate between T&T's skipper Jones and defender Renay Malblanche after the Cuban defender was a bit too aggressive for Jones' liking. No cards were shown in this incident.

As the game drew closer to an end both teams looked to have settled for the nil all result and were just casually knocking the ball around, but maybe a bit too casual. Mitchell under hit a back pass to Williams in the T&T goal and Martinez looked certain to get on the end of it but was tugged back by the "Warrior" just outside the box. With Mitchell being the last man this surely had to be a red card, but to Mitchell's relief the card that flashed before him was yellow.

                             Highlights of T&T's victory over Curacao in the Caribbean Cup opener.
                                                           Video by: TTFA

With the game already into stoppage time Martinez was left with a glorious chance to win in it all for his team but his left-footed free kick was easily dealt with by the composed Williams. Goalless it finished then and the "Warriors" had ousted the defending champs, though not convincingly.

Will coach Stephen Hart go with this same centre-back pairing in the final come Tuesday? I highly doubt it.