Roy fires Defence Force into semis, Tempete stuns Caledonia

Going into the second round second-leg match, the ‘Teteron Boys’ enjoyed a 4-0 first-leg cushion in Linden, Guyana and despite the absence of Jerwyn “Bally” Balthazar, Ronald “Sharky” St Louis, Keston “Lab” Williams and Dexter Pacheco all through injuries they never looked in any danger of suffering an upset and completed the 7-0 aggregate win.

In fact as early as the 11th minute, Defence Force took the lead when Rodell Elcock rose between a crowd of players to glance in a left sided cross from Kerry Joseph past goalkeeper Dereck Carter.

As the half wore on, Milerock did manage to attack several times, but near the end of the first half, just when the Guyanese club began showing its spirit once more, Roy doubled the lead with a side footed finish to extend the lead to 6-0 on aggregate.

Defence Force took its foot off the pedal somewhat in the second-half, but with a minute left in the match, Roy completed his double to seal another easy win to put his team, 1985 and 1987 CFU champions into the last four of the tournament.

...Tempete stuns Caledonia

Pro League runner-up Caledonia will face a tough test to join Defence Force in the semifinals after it went under to visitors, Tempete of Haiti 1-0 in the night’s second match.

Caledonia which went into the clash without the injured trio of central defender Nuru Abdullah Muhammad and midfield Ryan Stewart and Guyana’s Trayon Bobb looked very nervous at the start against a hard tackling Haitian squad.

But the local still managed to create the first opening as Tempete goalkeeper Gerry Romondt raced off his line and made a tame clearance which fell straight to Caledonia striker, Kevon Woodley. However, with the goal unguarded Woodley guided his right footed attempted straight back at Romondt.

With the blink of an eye, Caledonia was made to rue that missed effort as Tempete captain, Junior Charles latched onto a pass down the right, and with debutant goalkeeper, Victor Thomas slow to react, he tucked the ball inside the near post in the seventh minute.

Caledonia coach, Jamaal Shabazz may have wished he had new signings, strikers Cornell Glen and Juma Clarence on the field as  Woodley and Keyon “Berbatov” Edwards then wasted a number of other openings to get their team back in the contest.

Tempete which had Haitian international Eliphene Cadet in its starting line-up also created a few nervous moments for the host, but in the end the one goal proved enough on the night as they head home for Friday’s return-leg leg in St Marc, Haiti.

Already in the semifinals to be played in T&T on May 25 is  Guyana Super League champions, Alpha United which edged River Plate of Puerto Rico 3-2 in its second-leg match following a 0-0 first-leg draw, both at the Bourda Cricket Ground, Georgetown, Guyana.

Last night (Saturday), defending CFU Club champions, Puerto Rico Islanders came up against Suriname’s Walking Boys with the second-leg set for May 14.

The quarterfinal round winners will advance to the May 25 semifinal with the final and third-place matches set for four days later. The semifinal winners and third placed club will qualify for the 2011-2012 Concacaf Champions League.

Defence Force powers into CFU semifinal round.
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Digicel Pro League Champions Defence Force cruised into the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship semi-final round with an impressive 7:0 aggregate win over Guyana’s Milerock.

The Ross Russell coach side coming off a 4-0 win in the Second Round first-leg in Guyana, completed another comfortable result 3-0 against Milerock on Good Friday night at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Trinidad with striker Richard Roy netting twice after defender Rondell Elcock opened the scoring just 11 minutes into the match.

The TT Pro League club is the second team to qualify for the semi-final round set for the end of May in Trinidad, from which three teams will advance to next season's CONCACAF Champions’ League.

Guyana’s Alpha is the first team to reach the semi-finals with a 3:2 aggregate win over Puerto Rico’s River Plate.

The Malabar venue featured a CFU double header, with Digicel Pro League Championship runner-up Caledonia going under to an early Tempête strike suffering a 1-0 defeat at home against the Haitians in their Second Round first-leg tie.

Tempête captain Junior Charles netted the fourth minute item while Caledonia struggled to find the net despite creating a number of openings.

The second-leg is set for May 7 in Haiti.The remaining second-round series has the defending champion Puerto Rico Islanders against Walking Boyz of Suriname, which will be played May 7 and May 14.

In the Defence Force, Milerock second-leg clash, Elcock headed the soldiers ahead 1-0 defeating goalkeeper Dereck Carter just 11 minutes into the match when he towered the Guyanese club’s defence to meet Kerry Joseph’s freekick from the left after striker Richard Roy was adjudged to have been fouled by defender Keivin Sullivan.

Match referee Kevin Morrison of Jamaica was later forced to show Milerock’s Ryan Crandon a yellow card in the 18th minute when he reached high into the air to handle a long cross by Corey Rivers which was intended for Roy. However from the set piece, Roy was well wide of the target.

The Soldiers failed to put away another chance in the 24th minute, in a brilliant play led by Kerry Joseph—who was very instrumental throughout the match—on the right find Sean Narcis who’s quick cross was guided just wide of goalkeeper Dereck Carter’s upright.

And two minutes later Akil Pierre failed to control a Rivers cross just above the six yard area putting it over for a goal-kick.

Defence Force, playing under the watch of Acting Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Kenrick Maharaj and backed by its rhythm section and a packed Larry Gomes Stadium covered area dominated the opening period.

The Soldiers made it 2-0 in the 43rd when Akil Pierre dispossessed the Guyanese around 23 yards out before playing Roy inside the area and the striker made no mistake curling a shot around an advancing Carter.

Milerock best opportunity came in the 52nd minute when Randy Jerome hammered wide off Alestor Johnson cross from the right and two minutes later the Guyanese most enterprising player Collie Hercules was overbar.

Roy made it 3-0 on the stroke of 90 minutes when he displayed true pace turning defender Germaine Granderson and racing into the area before slipping in his second past Carter.

Carter also had to palm away a tame effort in injury time to deny Roy a third on the night.

Milerock’s struggle to poke in an item saw a Clive Nobriga effort rock the side netting in the 81st minute while his defence was fortunate to see Sean Narcis spill just wide in the 56th minute and in the 80th minute substitutes Kurt Williams and Ross Russell Jr. teamed up with the latter curling an effort just high and wide.

Defence Force 3—0 Milerock FC
Rondell Elcock 11’, Richard Roy 43’, 90’

Teams

Defence Force—Kevin Graham, Corey Rivers (capt.), Rawle Fletcher, Devin Jordan, Kerry Joseph, Owen Matthews (Ross Russell Jr. 66th), Dexter Pacheco, Sean Narcis (Kurt Williams 70th), Rondell Elcock, Richard Roy, Akil Pierre (Balondemu Julius 59th).

Coach—Ross Russell.

Milerock FC—Dereck Carter, Marlon Maxius (capt.), Steve Brewley (Germaine McBean 68th), Devor Dennis, Clive Nobriga, Collie Hercules, Alestor Johnson (Owen Williams 82nd), Randy Jerome, Ryan Crandon (Jermaine Granderson 36th), Keivin Sullivan, Aswald Benjamin.

Coach—Brian Joseph.

Caledonia defeated by early Tempête goal.
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Digicel Pro League Championshp runner-up Caledonia AIA playing at home suffered a 1-0 defeat in their CFU Club Championship Second Round first-leg tie against Haitian club Tempête FC on Friday night at the Larry Gomes Stadium, making it an uphill task for the Jamaal Shabazz coached side to secure a spot in the semi-final round.

Tempête captain Junior Charles gave the visitors the winning item in the 4th minute when was picked out brilliantly on the right and made no mistake directing his shot on target to find the back of the net against goalkeeper Victor Thomas despite a desperate effort by defender Daniel Cyrus to clear it off the line.

Caledonia failing to ride the wave created by fellow Digicel Pro League club Defence Force in the earlier Caribbean Football Union clash, missed out seconds before the Tempête goal.

An errant kick-out by Tempête goalie Guerry Romondt gifted Kevon Woodley the ball around 25 yards, but the Tobagonian’s attempt to loop his shot over Romondt—who was well off his line—was miserably wide.

Defence Force, the 2010-2011 Digicel Pro League Championship winner, completed a 7:0 aggregate win over Guyana’s Milerock with a 3-0 victory in the earlier Larry Gomes Stadium clash to secure its place in the Club Championship semi-final round set for late May in Trinidad.

Meantime, Caledonia’s struggle for a comeback was a difficult one against a very physical Tempête accompanied by anxiety in front of goal.

The Morvant/Laventille based club was inches too high of the far upper corner when Cyrus blasted in an effort from the right in the 8th minute after Tempête forced the Caledonia play out of its area.

The visitors preferred to sit on their one away goal advantage in defence mode but had a good opening in the 51st minute when Changler Cadet did well to control a long pass on the chest under contest by Cyrus inside the Caledonia area, however his flicked effort towards goal lacked power against goalkeeper Victor Thomas.

Caledonia then won a free kick some 20 yards outside the area after Wisnick Germinor upended Woodley, but Burton Sheldon Emmanuel’s left footed strike was gloved away by goalkeeper Guerry Romondt who was magnificent throughout the game.

Caledonia substitute Jean Luc Rochford had the last real attempt on goal for the Pro League club in the 76th minute but was wide of the Tempête goal.

Caledonia will visit the Haitians on May 7 in the second-leg with the hope of joining Defence Force and Guyana’s Alpha United in the CFU Club Championship semi-final round.

The remaining second-round series has the defending champion Puerto Rico Islanders against Walking Boyz of Suriname, which will be played May 7 and May 14.

Caledonia AIA 0—1 Tempête FC
 ; Junior Charles 4’

Teams

Caledonia AIA—Victor Thomas, Stephan David (capt.), Abdallah Phillips, Sheldon Emmanuel, Kareem Joseph (Jean Luc Rochford 70th), Akim Armstrong, Daneil Cyrus, Kevon Woodley (Hayden Vincent 70th), Densill Theobald, Keyon Edwards (Shaquille Smith 87th), Kemron Percell.

Coach—Jamaal Shabazz.

Tempête FC—Guerry Romondt, Junior H. Charles (capt.) (Yellow), Junior Etienne (Yellow), Makendy Duverger, Jackson Jean (Ojulesse Valcourt 86th), Eliphene Cadet, Wisnick Germinor (Yellow), Chedlin Francoeur, Changler Cadet (Sony Abranche 78th), Elie Paul, Gregory G.PL Joachin.

Coach—Jean Marie Dorceus.