Trent Noel missed a late penalty, and St Ann's Rangers also had defender Jevon Morris sent off in the 42nd minute. How much worse could it get for Rangers? Well, they lost.
Adams Construction San Juan Jabloteh made good use of their man advantage to edge Rangers 2-1 in a Group A 2011 First Citizens Cup quarter-final match on Friday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Defeat eliminated Rangers, but took Group A winners Jabloteh (four points) and runners-up T&TEC (two points) through to the knockout phase.
Jabloteh booked a semi-final spot against Caledonia AIA, after an Akim Armstrong double in the 37th and 49th minutes gave the latter a 2-0 win over DirecTV North East Stars in the second match of Friday's double-header.
They advance along with Group B winners W Connection (six points), who will take on T&TEC in the next round.
In the opening match, Jabloteh made full use of a 36 minute-span when Rangers were a man short. Rangers bossed the early proceedings without looking like terrors, and conceded the first goal against the run of play.
The" San Juan Kings" twice led, first in the 26th minute when striker Willis Plaza volleyed in Jason Marcano's corner kick. Goalkeeper Shane Mattis made a hash of cutting out Marcano's corner, allowing the ball to reach veteran striker Hector Sam who laid it on for Plaza to put into the net.
Rangers then lost Morris to the red card in the 42nd after the defender stamped at Jabloteh midfielder Luke Gillick, who had tripped him earlier.
But they battled back to level at 1-1 in the 44th through youngster Shaquille Nesbitte, who took Noel's feed and found the far corner with a powerful volley from the right edge of the penalty area.
And Rangers almost led two minutes into the second half when Keon Trim headed Nesbitte's swinging cross onto the underside of the crossbar.
Jabloteh then turned up the pressure. Akil Clarke had his shot blocked at the back post, before striker Jason Marcano finally got the winner in the 60th minute, cutting across the top of the penalty area and delivering the ball low into the corner.
Twelve minutes from the end, Jabloteh were also short a man when Joel Russell was sent off. Rangers' Theon James had a clear path to goal and looked set to score when the last defender took him out at the edge of the penalty area, and conceded the free-kick.
Nothing resulted from the kick, but Rangers later had a penalty which Cleon John saved, diving to his right and pushing away Noel's effort.
By Nigel Simon (Guardian).
Striker Akim Armstrong netted a goal on either side of the half as two-time runner-up Caledonia AIA blanked DirecTV North East Stars 2–0 in their T&T Pro League First Citizens Cup quarterfinal day three clash to secure a semifinal spot on Friday.
This was in the second match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Both Caledonia and Stars went into the match without a point after defeats in their respective matches against six-time winner W Connection.
However, Caledonia only needed to draw to qualify for the semifinals, as it had a better goal difference to Stars’ of minus two to minus three.
After a cautious start Armstrong capitalised on some sloppy defending from Stars to beat goalkeeper Andrew Durant low to his left for the opener in the 37th minute and five minutes after the restart, he added his second, racing down the centre of the Stars’ defence before easily beating the goalkeeper.
With the win, Caledonia set up a semifinal clash on Friday with Group A winner, Adams’ Construction San Juan Jabloteh, which battled past St Ann’s Rangers 2–1 in Friday’s first match.
Both teams ended the contest with ten men after Rangers defender Jevon Morris (40th) and Jabloteh’s Joel Russell (79th) were red carded. Jabloteh, which battled back from a 4–1 deficit to draw 4–4 with T&TEC in its tournament opener on Tuesday, opened the scoring in tithe 24th minute via the inform Willis Plaza, his third goal in two matches.
Rangers’ task of fighting its way back into the contest was then made tougher when Morris was red carded in the 40th minute for a nasty tackle on Luke Gullick, Jabloteh’s hero in the last match, with his 89th minute equaliser.
However, against the run of play, Rangers stunned Jabloteh a minute later when the nippy Shaquille Nesbitt got the equaliser to leave both clubs level at 1–1 at the interval.
Jabloteh regained the lead in the 61st minute through Jason Marcano, but 11 minutes from full-time Rangers was gifted a lifeline when Jabloteh was reduced to ten men as well following the expulsion of defender Joel Russell, for a professional foul on striker Devon Modeste on the edge of the 18-yard box.
Both teams then continued to create a number of chances, but luckily for Jabloteh, goalkeeper Cleon John was in impeccable form and preserved his team’s lead which guaranteed a semifinal spot along with league debutants, T&TEC.
In the other semifinal, W Connection will meet the “Electricity Boys” with the winner advancing to the final carded for October 14 at the same venue. The winner of this year’s competition will walk away with $80,000, while the runner-up gets $20,000.
Results
Jabloteh 2 (Willis Plaza 24th, Jason Marcano 61st) vs St Ann’s Rangers 1 (Shaquille Nesbitt 41st)
Caledonia 2 (Akim Armstrong 37th, 49th) vs North East Stars 0
Fixtures
Semifinals:
Friday, September 30:
T&TEC vs W Connection
Jabloteh vs Caledonia
Final:
October 14
Standings
Group A
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Jabloteh 2 1 1 0 6 5 4
T&TEC 2 0 2 0 4 4 2
Rangers 2 0 1 1 1 2 1
Group B
W Connection 2 2 0 0 8 3 6
Caledonia 2 1 0 1 4 4 3
NE Stars 2 0 0 2 1 6 0