Five different players were on target as Digicel T&T Pro League 2010/2011 runner-up Caledonia AIA blasted Delphic Newtown United of St Kitts/Nevis 5-0 to advance to the second round of the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship qualifying series.
This was in the second-leg of the first round qualifier at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Saturday night. Going into the return-leg at Mucurapo, the Stallions held a 1-0 lead and only needed a 0-0 draw to set up a meeting with Haitian champion, Tempete.
Twelve minutes into the match, midfielder Ryan Stewart enhanced Caledonia chances of achieving its goal when he opened the scoring for a 2-0 aggregate lead and three minutes before the half, Jean-Luc Rochford who netted the lone goal in the win at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts/Nevis ten days ago made it 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate.
Three minutes into the second-half the tie was all but over when winger Kareem Joseph made it 3-0 before strikers, Akim Armstrong (64th) and newly signed Kevon Woodley, a second-half introduction for Rochford made it 5-0 on the night with two minutes left in the match and 6-0 on aggregate. Speaking after the match, Caledonia coach, Jamaal Shabazz praised his players for sticking to the task at hand.
“I must pay credit to the guys because I thought they remained focussed on the job at hand and showed their superiority over Newtown United in every department.”
“We also showed a bit more maturity in the way we controlled the pace of the match. During the match, Caledonia also introduced two newcomers to CFU action in teenaged Guyanese players Trayon Bobb and Kevon Woodley of Tobago, with the latter scoring on debut.
A former national goalkeeper Shabazz applauded the efforts of the two players. “They did a good job in their first showing and for Woodley to get on the score-sheet in his first match was very welcoming.
Despite the comfortable win, Shabazz said he was a little put off but his team’s finishing though. “The finishing was a bit scary at times but in saying that we still managed to find the target five times which is good by any standard.”
Overall the Caledonia coach felt very satisfied with the outcome considering the amount of resources and effort his club and players put into the match.
Looking ahead to the second-round tie against Tempete which will earn the winner a place in the semifinal round in T&T, Shabazz said his team will be ready for the challenge.
Shabazz was also looking forward to having national striker Juma Clarence in the team for the next round. Clarence missed the match against Newtown as his clearance from his Turkish Club Hacettepe Spor Kulubu was not granted in time.
The second round tie between Caledonia and Tempete is scheduled for April 12–14 and April 22–24, while the semifinal will take place in T&T from May 25 with the final and third-place games set for four days later.
The semifinal winners and third placed club will qualify for the 2011/2012 Concacaf Champions League.
Edwards’ double silences Hornets.
Defender Michael Edwards fired in two late second-half goals to lead Digicel T&T Pro League champions, Defence Force to a commanding 3-0 second-leg shut-out of Bermudans’ Dandy Town Hornets at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Saturday night.
With the win, Defence Force secured the home-and-away series 4-1 on aggregate to set up a second round Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship series against Guyana’s Milerock.
Milerock earned a shock 2-1 win away to Suriname’s Inter Moengotapoe at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium after losing the home-leg 1-0 to advance 2-2 on the away goals rule.
But down at Marabella, Defence Force, a two-time CFU Club champion and one-time Concacaf Champions League winner, made certain of a second round spot with a superior showing after drawing the first-leg 1–1 at the Bermuda Athletics Association Field, Hamilton on March 10 thanks to a Sean Narcis equaliser.
Narcis proved a thorn in Hornets side again as he opened the scoring after 13 minutes while Edwards got his double in the 74th and 87th minute to complete the victory.
After the match an elated Ross Russell, coach of Defence Force said he was happy with his team’s display while a bit disappointed they did not score more goals. “From the kick-off we showed we were a much better team and during the match we were very dominant, so that was pleasing,” said Russell.
Looking ahead to the second round clash against the Guyanese club, Russell said his staff has already began preparations. “We know a bit about Milerock and some of their players and we have asked for a DVD of their match, but that has been refused,” he said.
Defence Force last won the CFU Club title in 1987, two years after securing its first crown. The ‘Teteron Boys” are also the only English-speaking Caribbean country to have lifted the Concacaf Champions League crown, in 1985 with a 2–1 home-and-away aggregate win over Honduran club, CD Olimpia in the final.
The second round is scheduled for the weeks of April 12–14 and April 22–24, while the semifinal will take place in the T&T from May 25 with the final and third-place games set for four days later. The semifinal winners and third placed club will qualify for the 2011/2012 Concacaf Champions League.
Results
Second-Leg
Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Score: Caledonia 5 (Ryan Stewart 12th, Jean-Luc Rochford 42nd, Kareem Joseph 48th, Akim Armstrong 64th, Kevon Woodley 88th) vs Newtown Utd 0.
Caledonia won tie 6-0 on aggregate.
Second-Leg
Venue: Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
Score: Defence Force 3 (Sean Narcis 13th, Michael Edwards 74th, 87th) vs Dandy Town Hornets 0. Defence Force won 4-1 on aggregate.
Caledonia, Defence Force easy.
By Ian Prescott (Express).
Trinidad and Tobago Pro League teams Defence Force and Caledonia AIA of Morvant-Laventille both reached the second round of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Club Champions Cup with easy victories on home soil on Saturday night.
Caledonia AIA saw off Delphic Newtown United of St Kitts 5-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain to clinch the tie 6-0 on aggregate, after winning the away leg 1-0 the week before.
And at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, a Michael Edwards double (29th & 83rd minutes) along with the 13th minute Sean Narcis opener gave Pro League champions Defence Force a 3-0 victory over Bermuda's Dandy Town Hornets --just as "Army" head coach Ross Russell had predicted two days before the match.
Defence Force advanced 4-1 on aggregate after the teams played out a 1-1 draw in Bermuda a week ago.
Already through to the second round are defending champions Puerto Rico Islanders, Defence Force (T&T), Caledonia AIA (T&T), Tempete (Haiti), Milerock (Guyana) and Alpha United (Guyana).
River Plate, the Puerto Rico team who were heavily fined after a 2009 brawl with San Juan Jabloteh, held a 2-0 first-leg advantage going into yesterday's tie with Bodden Town (St Lucia); and Walking Boys (Suriname) will take a 3-0 away-leg victory over North All Stars (Cayman Islands) into their March 26 second-leg.
The second round takes place between April 12-14 and will see Caledonia meeting tough 2010 Haitian champs Tempete United, a team containing Haitian national striker Eliphene Cadet. Tempete were fourth in the 2009 Caribbean Championships and were just edged out for a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League by San Juan Jabloteh.
Defence Force will face Guyanese club Milerock, who went to Suriname a goal down and beat Intermoengatapoe 2-1 to advance on away goals.
Three of the four qualifiers for the final phase of the Caribbean Club Champions Cup will qualify for the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League.
On Saturday night, Caledonia AIA midfielder Jean Luc Rochford fulfilled his pre-match ambition by scoring his team's second goal against St Kitts champions Newtown United.
Caledonia had an easy time against the Kittians, who looked good in midfield but had no impact up front. The visitors managed just one chance at goal, a miscued Shashi Issac free-kick in the 71st, which almost caught out Caledonia AIA's Jamaican keeper Kevin Graham, who turned the ball over for a corner.
Otherwise the T&T club were very comfortable with national player Densill Theobald and captain Stephan David pulling the strings in central midfield, while Akim Armstrong and Rochford were a threat in the wide positions.
Daniel Cyrus was well involved, both in central defence, where he teamed with solid Nuru Abdullah Muhammad, and up front where at one point he raced from his own back line and used great pace to burst through the Newtown defence.
The midfield threat provided by Newtown captain Ian Lake and Alexis Saddler ensured that Caledonia wide defenders Walter Moore and Joseph did not overlap as much. Up front, Cali's Keyon Edwards saw more of the ball than Ryan Stewart, but his touch abandoned him on the night. And keeper Graham had a relatively quiet night.
The local team went ahead in just the 12th minute through Stewart who found the far corner with a powerful, low shot from outside the penalty area.
A Newtown defender brought down the ball perfectly for Rochford to tap in a second goal from close up in the 42nd. Left back Kareem "Tiny" Joseph then ran up the flank and hit a miscued shot which went in off a defender in the 47th and it was 4-0 in the 64th when Armstrong stroked in a ball which was played across the six-yard box.
Tobagonian substitute striker Nigel Woodley then dragged the ball around Newtown goalie Akil Byron to score on his Caledonia debut in the 90th minute.
Newtown were lucky to escape at 5-0 as there were several glaring misses in the late stages, some with just the St Kitts keeper to beat.
Second Round/First Leg
April 12-14
Milerock vs Defence Force (T&T)
Puerto Rico Islanders (PR) vs Northern United/Walking Boyz winner
Caledonia (T&T) vs Tempete (HAI)
Alpha United (GUY) vs River Plate/Bodden Town winner
Second Leg
April 22-24
Northern United-Walking Boyz winner vs Puerto Rico Islanders
Defence Force vs Milerock
Tempete vs Caledonia
River Plate-Bodden Town winner vs Alpha United