A clinical strike by midfielder Andrei Pacheco in the 11th minute proved to be enough for W Connection as they overcame local rivals San Juan Jabloteh 1-0 at the Mannie Ramjohn stadium to be crowned Caribbean Club champions.
The win for the Couva based club also means that they once again get the chance to compete in this year’s Concacaf Club Championship.
On a cool Sunday evening in the southern town of Marabella, it was Connection who first turned up the heat on a Jabloteh team missing a few regulars who struggled to get out of the blocks in a gritty game that saw eight yellow cards being shared amongst the teams.
As early as the 7th minute Stuart Charles Ferviers’ men signaled that they were out for the kill when Andre Toussaint hit a long range effort from the left that had keeper Brian James diving at full stretch.
Then came the strike that would prove to be the game decider, it was from a quick counterattack on the left side of the area Gefferson Goulart chipped the ball across the box for an unmarked Andrei Pacheco who collected with his first touch before slamming a shot past the outstretched palm of keeper James to make the score 1-0.
With their team holding onto the lead, Connection sought to keep possession executing some fluid passing moves often leaving Fenwick’s men thirsting for the ball.
On the other hand Jabloteh struggled to find any kind of rhythm and most time strikers Peter Prosper and Jason Marcano had to come too deep into their own half to get a touch on the ball.
In the 38th minute Keeper James would preserve his sides lead when he appeared to fly momentarily as he spectacularly sprung airborne to his right to hang unto a fierce curling Ronaldo Viana freekick that had a one way ticket to the back of the net.
James would come up big again in the 42nd minute when he bravely came off his line to punch away a dangerous Goulart cross from the right off the head of an intruding Toussaint to help keep his team in with a chance at the halfway point.
After the break the resilient custodian would again be called into action when in the 48th minute he had to come off his line to first deny Viana then Earl Jean on a follow up attempt.
The game then took a scrappy turn midway in the half with both teams creating too many unforced errors.
Jabloteh would then get their best and only real chance of the game in the 70th minute when Peter Prosper was gifted with a golden opportunity to equalize when he received a wayward back pass inside the Connection area and with only Jan Micheal Williams to beat the striker sent his toe poke agonizingly wide of the uprights to the dismay of his teammates.
Jan Micheal got another rare touch on the ball in the 78th minute when he alertly fisted away a low Lester Peltier cross from the right.
Despite Connection displaying some nerves in the closing few minutes that was to be the last real bit of action for the national custodian as his team held on to the final whistle to win by a slim 1-0 margin and become Caribbean Champions.
Final Score: W Connection 1 San Juan Jabloteh 0
Scorers W Connection- Andrei Pacheco (11).
Teams:
W Connection
Coach: Stuart Charles-Fervier
William Oliveira (Brenton De Leon), Elijah Joseph, Ronaldo Viana, Earl Jean, Gefferson Goulart (Hughtun Hector), Andre Toussaint (Kern Cupid), Nickcolson Thomas, Andrei Pacheco, Jan Michael Williams, Devon Drayton, Christian Viveros.
Jabloteh
Coach: Terry Fenwick
Brian James, Karlon Murray, Lester Peltier, Trent Noel, Wendell Joseph (Aurtis Whitley), Jason Marcano, Ian Gray, Nigel Daniel (Glenton Wolfe), Marcelle Francois, Anthony Wolfe, Peter Prosper (Elton John).
Game Statistics
W Connection Jabloteh
1 Goals 0
5 Shots on Target 2
5 Corners 10
1 Offsides 0
6 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
29 Fouls 27