Guaya United topped Club Sando 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in a highly anticipated FA Trophy clash between the Super League leaders and the third-place Pro League outfit on Thursday.
Kion Joseph, a former San Juan Jabloteh and Trinidad and Tobago youth midfielder, celebrated the winning sudden death kick from the spot at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium to send two-hundred-plus Green Army loyalists into wild celebrations as their side progressed to the Round-of-16 which is carded for October 22.
But a suspected offside equaliser and an ignored penalty shout in the final minute of regular time stood out against Sando before the “Oranges” had themselves to blame when Keron Cornwall, who looked to have been fouled in the box at the death, failed to beat Guaya goalie Erskine Johnson on the fifth regulation kick from the spot after Leroy Jones had drilled Guaya’s fourth kick miserably wide.
Johnson, though, made the crucial save, denying the Sando substitute who he had also denied three minutes into the second half.
Guaya, like in open play were resolute in the end, with Justin Fournillier, Jody Allsop and Kion Joseph proving clinical against Sando goalkeeper Kelvin Henry from the spot, as did ex-North East Stars players Glenton Wolfe and Kevin Jagdeosingh and ex-W Connection standout Andrei Pacheco in the first three kicks.
Akim Armstrong, Nical Stephens, Kemuel Rivers and Michael Basdeo had Sando on a roll and Tyrone Charles continued the trend after Cornwall’s failed effort, but the end for coach Angus Eve’s men arrived after Kevon Piper missed the entire target on the seventh kick.
Similarly, Piper spilled on scoring opportunity in the 79th minute after Armstrong had done well to escape defender Wolfe inside the right of the area before picking out the second-half substitute in the middle of the area.
Scoring would have restored Sando’s lead and possibly secure the victory.
However Sando must now refocus on “CONCACAF priority” -- a top-two finish in the Pro League -- as early as Sunday’s return to the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium to take on second-placed W Connection from 3:30pm.
Poking fun last week, Eve rightfully called his competitive clash with Ron La Forest a “master versus student,” having played under the Guaya coach at national level and credits “the professor” as a major influence in his football development.
Eve also advocated that Guaya, a team with strong community support and resources, should be a Pro League franchise.
“They are a professional team playing in the Super League,” said Eve back then. “If they win the Super League or the FA Trophy they still can’t go further like into the Caribbean Club Championship or to CONCACAF. They should be playing at the highest level in the country.”
Sando had taken the lead on 18 minutes when defender Leslie Joel Russell powerfully guided a Tyrone Charles corner past Johnson.
But Guaya levelled the scores 1-1 three minutes from the half through a suspected off-side Jagdeosingh goal.
Jagdeosingh, the brother of Trinidad and Tobago’s Thailand-based forward Kendall Jagdeosingh, had given the Guaya supporters belief on the half-hour mark although his strike from the top of the area made for a comfortable take by Henry.
The visitors’ had another lift in confidence when seven minutes later a Jagdeosingh header – though tame – forced a clearance off the line from Russell and a subsequent gather by Henry who was initially forced to avert danger from a right side cross.
Eventually the equaliser did arrive for Guaya and following two second half tries and fourteen kicks from the penalty spot later, the Green Army are through to the Round-of-16. (See full Round-of-64 and 32 results below)
Also on Thursday, MIC-IT St. Ann’s Rangers and FC Santa Rosa advanced with comfortable wins over Fire Service and Santa Flora 3-0 and 3-1 respectively, before Cunupia FC completed the Round-of-16 list with an 8-0 romp against Central Soccer World.
Ex-Pro Leaguer Kevon Woodley led with a beaver-trick for Cunupia while Stevon Stoute, Kerwin Valley, Hakeem Legall and Kern Roberts each had a goal in the lopsided affair at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training field.
In St. Augustine, St. Ann’s Rangers had a goal each from Micah Lansiquot, Kazim Donald and Neil Gerard Mitchell against Fire, to join six other Pro League clubs:Morvant Caledonia United, Defence Force, North East Stars, Point Fortin Civic, W Connection and Police FC in the Round-of-16.
Khelon Mitchell and ex-Pro Leaguers Ryan Stewart and Keron Cornwall produced the goals in Arima for Santa Rosa, the club of Super League president Keith Look Loy which will join fellow Super League sides Central 500 Spartans, 1976 FC Phoenix, Club Sando Moruga, Defence Force and Police (SL).
WASA FC’s Eastern Football Association side are the only zonal team to advance to the next round.
The Round-of-16 match-ups will be determined by a random draw on October 18 and contested on October 22, while the quarterfinals, semi-finals and final are carded for November 12, November 26 and December 17 respectively.
Results
Club Sando (Pro League) 1 (Leslie Joel Russell 18’) vs Guaya United (SL) 1 (Kelvin Jagdeosingh 42’), at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
Guaya won 6-5 on penalties;
Kicks from the penalty spot
Club Sando 5 Guaya United 6
Akim Armstrong (scored) Glenton Wolfe (scored)
Nical Stephens (scored) Kevin Jagdeosingh (scored)
Kemuel Rivers (scored) Andrei Pacheco (scored)
Michael Basdeo (scored) Leroy Jones (missed)
Keron Cornwall (saved) Justin Fournillier (scored)
Tyrone Charles (scored) Jody Allsop (scored)
Kevon Piper (missed) Kion Joseph (scored)
FC Santa Rosa (SL) 3 (Khelon Mitchell 20’, Ryan Stewart 66’, Keron Cornwall 90’+1) vs Santa Flora FC (SFA) 1 (Isaiah Taylor 54’), at Arima Velodrome;
MIC-IT St. Ann’s Rangers (Pro League) 3 (Micah Lansiquot 32’, Kazim Donald 39’’ pen., Neil Gerard Mitchell 80’) vs Fire Services (CFA) 0, at St. Augustine Senior Secondary School Ground, St. Augustine;
Cunupia FC (SL) 8 (Stevon Stoute 8’, Kerwin Valley 23’, Kevon Woodley 27’, 32’, 57’ pen., 70’, Hakeem Legall 45’, Kern Roberts 55’, ) vs Central Soccer World(CFA) 0, 6:30pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium training field, Port of Spain.
Teams
Club Sando: 34.Kelvin Henry (GK); 5.Nical Stephens, 6.Kemuel Rivers, 9.Akeem Redhead (10.Keron Cornwall 46th minute), 11.Akim Armstrong (Capt.), 12.Michael Basdeo, 13.Tyrone Charles, 15.Keyon Edwards (8.Kevon Piper 46th minute), 16.Leslie Joel Russell, 23.Nicholas Thomas, 27.Jay-son Joseph.
Unused Substitutes: 1.Stefan Berkeley (GK); 18.Trevin Latapy, 21.Malique Quow, 35.Adan Noel, 37.Raygun Jawahir.
Coach: Angus Eve
Guaya United: 16.Erskine Johnson (GK); 4.Kheelon Ferrier (11.Kendes Garcia 63rd minute) (29.Andrei Pacheco 80th minute), 6.Keryn Navarro, 8.Kion Joseph, 9.Shaquille Ferrier, 10.Karlon Hughes, 19.Beville Joseph (7.Jody Allsop 57th minute), 22.Justin Fournillier, 24.Glenton Wolfe (Capt.), 26.Kevin Jageosingh (Yellow Card), 77.Leroy Jones.
Unused substitutes: 1.Shane Mattis (GK); 18.Keylon Thomas, 25.Keston Frontin, 28.Keston Jordan.
Coach: Ron La Forest
Referee: Michael Mohammed
RELATED NEWS
Guaya dumps Club Sando from FA.
By Nigel Simon (Guardian).
Guaya United pulled off the second major upset of the T&T Football Association FA Trophy competition when it dumped T&T Pro League title challengers Club Sando out of the tournament at the round-of-32 hurdle, 6-5 on penalty-kicks on Thursday night.
This after both teams battled to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation-time at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella with defender Leslie Joel Russell heading in the opener for Club Sando from a Tyrone Charles corner before Kelvin Jagdeosingh, the brother of T&T’s Thailand-based forward Kendall Jagdeosingh, drew Guaya level, three minutes from the half-time whistle.
In the penalty-kicks shoot-out, Kion Joseph, a former San Juan Jabloteh and T&T youth midfielder, converted the winning sudden-death penalty-kick from the spot to send two-hundred-plus ‘Green Army’ into the round-of-16 which is carded for October 22.
However, Club Sando had themselves to blame for the loss, as Keron Cornwall failed to beat Guaya goalkeeper Erskine Johnson with his team’s fifth penalty attempt after Leroy Jones had drilled Guaya’s fourth kick wide.
Johnson, though, made the crucial save, denying the Club Sando substitute who he also denied three minutes into the second-half.
Guaya, like in open play were resolute in the end, with Glenton Wolfe. Jagdeosingh, Andrei Pacheco, Justin Fournillier and Jody Allsop scoring their other attempts while Akim Armstrong, Nical Stephens, Kemuel Rivers and Michael Basdeo scored the first four Club Sando efforts followed by Cornwall’s missed effort, a a Tyrone Charles goal, and then Kevon Piper missed effort to exit the competition. he entire target on the seventh kick.
At St Augustine Senior Secondary School Ground, Warren Street, St Augustine, cellar-placed Pro league club MIC-IT St Ann’s Rangers got a goal each from national Under-20 striker Micah Lansiquot, Kazim Donald and Neil Mitchell in a 3-0 defeat of Central Football Association’s Fire Service to join six other Pro League clubs, Morvant Caledonia United, Defence Force, North East Stars, Pt Fortin Civic, W Connection and Police FC in the final 16.
Also on Thursday, FC Santa Rosa (Super League) whipped Santa Flora FC (SFA) 3-1 respectively and Cunupia FC clobbered Central Soccer World 8-0 with ex-Pro Leaguer and national beach soccer striker Kevon Woodley scoring a with a beaver-trick at the Hasely Crawford Stadium Training Field, Mucurapo.
The round-of-16 match-ups will be determined by a random draw on October 18 and contested on October 22, while the quarterfinals, semi-finals and final are carded for November 12, November 26 and December 17 respectively.
Thursday’s T&TFA round-of-32 results FA Trophy 2017
Club Sando (Pro League) 1 (Leslie Joel Russell 18’) vs Guaya United (SL) 1 (Kelvin Jagdeosingh 42’) -
Guaya won 6-5 on penalties;
FC Santa Rosa (SL) 3 (Khelon Mitchell 20’, Ryan Stewart 66’, Keron Cornwall 90’+1) vs Santa Flora FC (SFA) 1(Isaiah Taylor 54’)
St Ann’s Rangers (Pro League) 3 (Micah Lansiquot 32’, Kazim Donald 39’’ pen., Neil Gerard Mitchell 80’) vs Fire Services (CFA) 0
Cunupia FC (SL) 8 (Stevon Stoute 8’, Kerwin Valley 23’, Kevon Woodley 27’, 32’, 57’ pen., 70’, Hakeem Legall 45’, Kern Roberts 55’, ) vs Central Soccer World (CFA) 0