Woodbrook based Ma Pau SC aiming to stun Bmobile Joe Public when the pair meets on Friday night from 8pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the second semifinal of the Digicel Pro Bowl.
Joe Public have won three of four previous meetings against Ma Pau this season, however Ma Pau believes they stand a great chance of upsetting the 2009 Digicel Pro League, Big Six and Toyota Classic winners.
“We think we can pull one on Friday,” said Ma Pau head coach Michael McComie—who is also a former successful coach at Joe Public.
“We respect Joe Public and what they have achieved this season. But now that they are overconfident, I think it will work in our favour on Friday,” the former Pro League Coach of the Year and League winner said.
“We are relishing the opportunity of meeting Joe Public. My players are equipped and have gained enough experience over the year to play against the top clubs in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. We have no fear coming up against Joe Public.
McComie’s young bunch will include Trinidad and Tobago U23s Trevin Caesar, Cutris Gonzales, Mekiel Williams, Kevin Molino and Reshad Wint among other young names such as Dwane James, Curtis Gonzales, Akeem Benjamin and Aquil Selby.
Lyndon Andrews, Anthony Wolfe, Sayid Freitas and Rennie Britto and Kerry Noray will fit as the experienced core of McComie’s charges.
McComie also explained that the Hasely Crawford Stadium will work to his team’s delight.
“I would favour my team’s chances because we are playing on a much bigger venue than the Marvin Lee Stadium. My players have much younger legs and we are very fit at the moment,” he explained.
McComie said that previous meetings against Joe Public have been close and that says a lot about his youthful Ma Pau squad.
“The main focus for me is the fact that the Ma Pau team can relish something for the work that we put in this season.”
Ma Pau who finished fifth in the League and Big Six this season registered a 3-0 win over southern powerhouse W Connection to advance into the semifinal.
Teenaged midfielders Kevin Molino and Curtis Gonzales said that winning the Pro Bowl will be important for the club and supporters of Ma Pau which have helped them this season.
In the earlier semifinal defending champions Caledonia AIA will tackle Defence Force from 6pm at the Port of Spain venue
Defence Force targets Pro Bowl semifinal win against Caledonia.
First Citizens Cup winners Defence Force are looking forward to defeating Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille in the semifinal round of the Digicel Pro Bowl and advance into the Final as they attempt their second title this season.
Defence Force and Caledonia are scheduled to meet from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the first of a semifinal double header. Ma Pau SC and Bmobile Joe Public will contest eachother in the second semifinal from 8pm.
“The Pro Bowl presents our last chance at another title for the season and if we could achieve our goal of winning the title I will consider it a good season for us,” said Russell.
Ross Russell has already led the Soldiers to one title (First Citizens Cup), and were beaten finalist in the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield early in the season. Winning the Pro Bwol will surely make up for finishing sixth in the League and being knocked out in the Round of 16 in the FA Trophy.
“Capturing the Pro Bowl will do a lot for our young players,” Russell added.
“It will give us a lot of motivation to come out next season and improve on our performances as we hope to be in serious contention for all the major titles and reclaim our status as being one of the top clubs in local football, the Caribbean and CONCACAF in general.”
Defence Force regrouped this week following the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) after most of their players were on duty during the meeting.
They had this week to prepare for their encounter against title-holders Caledonia.
While Defence Force enjoyed a better head-to-head record with Caledonia during the Digicel Pro League season, the Morvant/Laventille-based club came away with victories in the last two matches.
The latest was a 2-0 defeat in the T&T Football Federation FA Trophy competition round-of-16 clash last Monday. Despite the recent defeats Russell said his players were still confident in their ability to get past Caledonia.
“We dominated the last match against Caledonia but we paid the price for not converting our chances. But we will do better this time around,” Russell said.
Russell will have available the capable pair of Devon Jorsling and Kevon Carter up front, with skipper Corey Rivers and others compacting from the midfield as the Soldiers march forward in hopes of a second title this season.