Captain of the Trinidad & Tobago Men's National Team, Kenwyne Jones, continues to fly the flag of red, white and black high in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as his Al Jazira Football Club edged past Al Ain to snag the highly-contested President's Cup 2016 on Sunday evening.
Fondly called "The Pride of Abu Dhabi" by fans, Al Jazira's triumph was a hard-fought battle against rivals Al Ain, who had managed to level the score at 1-1 at the end of the full 90 minutes. Jazira's goal came in the final minute before halftime, when Ali Mabkhout was awarded and calmly put away a penalty opportunity. Not to be outdone, Al Ain returned with a vengeance in the second half, and eventually levelled the scoreboard thanks to Brazilian-born Dyanfres Douglas, whose bullet shot to the roof of the net in the 64th minute.
Thereafter, Jones was sent on as a substitute by coach Henk ten Cate to keep the defence line strong for Al Jazira - a move which certainly worked in the team's favour, as regular time ended in an even score. With the removal of extra time as part of the new rules for the President's Cup, the trophy tug-of-war would have to be decided in a penalty shootout showdown.
After a total of 13 shots combined from the teams, Al Ain's fatal blow came swiftly, stunning into silence its heartbroken fans at the Shaikh Zayed City Stadium. It was Mohanad Salem's unlucky and ill-fated strike that would seal the deal of defeat for the Al Ain squad, and result in the glorious moment of celebration and revelry for Jones and Al Jazira.
His Publicist, Tenille Clarke, is ecstatic for her client and team's title. "Kenwyne is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the President's Cup Champions for 2016. He always believed that Al Jazira had great potential to be stars in the league, and it's just an air of celebration right now for him, his teammates, the Al Jazira staff, and his fans in the United Arab Emirates. To end the season on such a high, words can hardly describe this moment for him. Teamwork made the dream work, and it's been a long season of hard work and sacrifice for him. The dedication to his craft has once again paid off in not only representing his club, but Trinidad & Tobago on the global stage."
Jones has been on loan with Al Jazira F.C. in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since January 2016, on loan from Cardiff City F.C. The Dubai-based club has also recently been named the Professional Club of the Year, and has previously won the President's Cup twice, having lifted the trophy in 2011 and 2012.