First half goals by Jamaican Sean Frazer and Errol McFarlane handed DirecTV North East Stars a 2-0 victory over Bmobile Joe Public on Saturday in quarterfinal C of the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
In the second match at the same venue, after a keenly contested 94 minutes which ended 1-1, San Juan Jabloteh got the better of Ma Pau 4-2 on penalties in quarterfinal D.
By defeating last year’s most successful team, North East Stars booked a place in the semifinals on Saturday (8 pm) against W Connection; while Jabloteh qualified to tackle Defence Force (6 pm), which is the only unbeaten team so far this season in the T&T Pro Football League.
Frazer put the Stars ahead in the 21st minute beating goalkeeper Marvin Phillip from close range with a first-time shot off Marc Leslie’s well directed cross from the right flank. The Sangre Grande-based club went two up with McFarlane’s item in the 38th minute.
The ex-T&T international was on hand to meet Carey Harris’ cross from the right and guided a low shot past Phillip. Seven minutes inside the second period Stars’ goalie Michael Woods made a point blank save to block out Trent Noel’s effort and preserve his side’s two-goal cushion.
On the hour mark, the Easterners won themselves a penalty when Frazer was pulled down by goalkeeper Phillip after a mix-up with defender Kareem Moses. However, the kick from the spot by midfielder Akeil Guevara was disappointingly off target after goalkeeper Phillip had already picked the wrong corner.
Stars’ assistant coach Shurland David, standing in as head coach, then added the experienced legs of Gary Glasgow and Arnold Dwarika in attacking midfield to keep the pressure on Joe Public and Jamaican defender Kimarley McDonnald to tighten the back.
Three minutes after replacing an injured Hayden Tinto, Joe Public’s Conrad Smith weaved his way across the Stars’ area to have a shot on goal which was thwarted by Woods.
But Smith didn’t last till the final whistle when he later picked up a direct red card from match referee Nigel Roberts in injury time for what seemed to be dissent—to end the Lions’ struggle for a comeback and what they achieved in Round One Match Day Nine for a 3-2 comeback after trailing by two goals.
Jabloteh had the first kick against Ma Pau in the penalty shootout and Brazilian midfielder Ronaldo Viana made no mistake. So did Ataullah Guerra, as the Terry Fenwick side controlled the score board by two goals to none after the first two kicks. Apart from Viana and Guerra, also netting in the penalty shootout for Jabloteh were captain Marvin Oliver and Willis Plaza.
Cyrano Glen was the only player to miss. Seon Power and Anthony Wolfe were the two players on target for Ma Pau. A fine save by goalkeeper Cleon John on Lyndon Andrews kick and a miss by Curtis Gonzales spoilt the chances of Ma Pau in the shootout.
During regulation time it was Jabloteh which held the first half advantage when utility player Noel Williams showed his cool to roll a shot into the far netting past Alejandro Figueroa in the 36th minute for a 1-0 score.
In the 51st minute, Ma Pau forward Shandel Samuel had a decent opening but fired into the side netting after breaking behind to Jabloteh defence to chest down Elton John’s free kick from the right.
But the Michael McComie-coached side levelled 1-1 in the 58th minute with a touch of class by wingback Cyd Gray, who met a decent cross by Elton John to head past goalkeeper John. Both sides created openings and some near efforts, however a winning item before the final whistle never came.
Saturday’s results
Joe Public 0 v North East Stars 2 (Sean Frazer 21st; Errol McFarlane 38th)
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Cyd Gray 58th) v Ma Pau 1 (Noel Williams 36th) - Jabloteh won.
Kicks from the penalty spot
San Juan Jabloteh (4) - Ma Pau SC (2)
Ronaldo Viana (scored) - Lyndon Andrews (saved)
Ataullah Guerra (scored) - Curtis Gonzales (missed)
Cyrano Glen (missed) - Seon Power (scored)
Marvin Oliver (scored) - Anthony Wolfe (scored)
Willis Plaza (scored)
Ma Pau SC 1—1 San Juan Jabloteh
Cyd Gray 58’ ; Noel Williams 36’
Ma Pau SC—Alejandro Figueroa, Lyndon Andrews (capt), Lester Peltier (Trevin Caessar 80th) (Yellow), Elton John (Yellow), Shandel Samuel (Anthony Wolfe 66th), Kerry Noray, Mikeil Williams (Rennie Britto 80th), Curtis Gonzales, Seon Power, Kevin Molino (Yellow), Cyd Gray
Coach—Michael McComie
San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John, Marvin Oliver (capt) (Yellow), Noel Williams (Yellow), Ronaldo Viana (Yellow), Robert Primus (Yellow), Jason Marcano (Willis Plaza 63rd), Kennedy Hinkson (Cyrano Glen 77th), Hector Sam (Ataullah Guerra 63rd), Joel Leslie Russell (Yellow), Jamal Jack, Sheldon Bateau
Coach—Terry Fenwick
Match Referee—Neil Brizan
Joe Public 0—2 North East Stars
Sean Frazer 21’, Errol McFarlane 38’
Joe Public—Marvin Phillip, Kerry Baptiste (capt), Keion Goodridge (Yellow), Carlyle Mitchell (Yellow), Kareem Young (Yellow), Jevon Morris, Trent Noel, Yu Hoshide (Micah Lewis 51st), Andre Toussaint, Hayden Tinto (Conrad Smith 66th) (Red), Makan Hislop (Nigel Daniel 41st)
Coaches—Derek King/Ralph Nelson
North East Stars—Michael Woods, Charles Pollard (capt) (Yellow), Leslie Fitzpatrick, Marc Leslie, Akeil Guevara (Yellow) (Gary Glasgow 68th), Sean Frazer (Yellow), Carey Harris (Arnold Dwarika 72nd), Glenton Wolfe, Errol McFarlane, Kevaughn Connell, Jeromie Williams (Kimarley McDonnald 77th)
Coach—Shurland David
Match Referee—Nigel Roberts