Teejay Cadiz fired in the decisive item as lowly Premier Division club Bethel United stunned visitor and table leader Sports & Games FC Santa Rosa 2-1 in their T&T Football Association National Super League blink/bmobile knockout semifinal at Mt Pleasant Recreation Ground on Wednesday night.
Going into the contest, Santa Rosa, which holds a five-point lead over defending champion Defence Force in the Premier Division title race was heavy favourites but after the first 45 minutes, found itself still level at the break with Bethel United, third from bottom of the 14-team table.
Three minutes after the restart, Bethel took a shock lead through national beach football player Kevon Woodley. But that lead only lasted a few seconds as Keron Clarke drew Santa Rosa, level almost from the restart.
Nine minutes later, Cadiz then regained the narrow advantage for Bethel United which it held on to until the final whistle to set up a meeting with Police FC in the final.
In the second match at Mt Pleasant, the “Lawmen” avoided an all-Tobago final by blanking 1976 FC Phoenix 2-0 with a goal apiece from Real Didier in the 44th and Jason Boodram, in the 77th.
The winner of the knockout final will take home $100,000 and the loser will collect $50,000 while Santa Rosa and Phoenix, as losing semifinalist will each get $25,000.
League action will resume in the Championship and Premier Division on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Wednesday results
Bethel United 2 (Kevon Woodley 48th, Teejay Cadiz 58th) vs Santa Rosa 1 (Keron Clarke 49th)
Police FC 2 (Real Didier 44th, Jason Boodram 77th) vs 1976 FC Phoenix 0
FIXTURES
Championship Division:
Saturday
Cunupia FC vs Youth Stars, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 3.30 pm
PV/DM Utd vs Barrackpore Utd, D/Martin North Sec. School Grd, 3.30 pm
Saddle Hill Hotspur vs Central 500 Spartans, Pascal Recreation Grd, Maraval, 5 pm
Carenage United vs UTT, Dibe Rec Grd, Long Circular, 3.30 pm.
Premier Division:
Sunday
Club Sando Moruga vs Siparia Spurs, Grand Chemin Rec Grd, 3.30 pm
Matura Re Utd vs Petrotrin Palo Seco, Matura Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
FC Santa Rosa vs Marabella Family CC, Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, 5 pm
Real Maracas vs Bethel Utd, Maracas Valley Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
WASA FC vs Guaya Utd, WASA Grd, St Joseph, 3.30 pm
Defence Force vs Police, Defence Force Headquarters, Chaguaramas, 3.30 pm
QPCC vs 1976 FC Phoenix, St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, 3.30 pm
STANDINGS
Premier Division
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Santa Rosa 18 12 4 2 39 16 40
Defence Force 18 10 5 3 45 34 35
Club Sando Moruga 18 9 4 5 33 34 31
Siparia Spurs 18 8 4 6 42 38 28
Matura Re Utd 18 8 3 7 39 43 27
Police FC 17 7 5 5 27 20 26
Petrotrin P/Seco 18 8 1 9 43 37 25
Guaya Utd 18 7 4 7 33 29 25
1976 Phoenix 18 5 9 4 30 26 24
Real Maracas 18 7 2 9 32 31 23
WASA FC 17 6 3 8 23 33 21
Bethel Utd 18 5 3 10 29 43 18
QPCC 18 4 4 10 28 38 16
Marabella Family 18 3 1 14 20 41 10
Championship Division
Cunupia FC 11 7 1 3 27 18 22
Central 500 Spartans 10 6 2 2 22 14 20
UTT 10 5 3 2 22 14 18
Barrackpore Utd 11 5 2 4 23 17 17
Saddle Hill Hotspur 10 4 1 5 17 24 13
Youth Stars 9 4 0 5 22 17 12
T&T Prisons 11 2 5 4 15 20 11
Carenage Utd 11 3 2 6 15 30 11
PV/DM Utd 11 2 2 7 15 27 8
11