CUNUPIA FC and Queen’s Park advanced to the final of the TT Super League after contrasting results in Sunday’s semi-finals at the Arima Velodrome.
Cunupia FC eliminated League champions FC Santa Rosa 4-3, courtesy kicks from the penalty spot, in the second game of the double-header.
In the earlier match, the “Parkites” cruised past Petit Valley/Diego Martin United 3-0.
The final will be staged at the Arima Velodrome on December 16.
The Cunupia-Santa Rosa game was a rematch of their final round contest, in the league, on December 2, at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima. That game ended in a 1-1 draw, but the point was enough to secure Santa Rosa’s capture of the league crown.
Kevon Cornwall put Santa Rosa ahead in the first minute, but Cunupia’s ace scorer Kevon Woodley equalised with a 22nd minute penalty.
Santa Rosa regained the lead a minute later after Giovanni Abraham found the back of the net, but Michael Darko levelled the scores in the 31st.
Woodley notched his second goal, and his team’s third, in the first minute of stoppage time, as Cunupia led 3-2 at the interval.
There was another twist to the tale as Santa Rosa equalised in the 83rd through utility player Noel Williams.
Penalties were required to decide the outcome, and Cunupia held their nerves to book their tickets to the final.
Cunupia coach Michael De Four boasted although Santa Rosa are Super league champs, they failed to beat Cunupia in three matches this season. De Four said it was pleasing to go undefeated vs his opposite number Derek King who is heading to Canada to join former national coach Stephen Hart as his assistant at Halifax Wanderers. The candid Cunupia FC coach is optimistic of winning the final and ending the season with a trophy.
King, who will be leaving in February, remarked, “The season went well. We won the League and reached the semi-final (of the knockout). I have to compliment the players for their efforts.”
King added, “You know how penalties go, like a lottery.”
The former national defender, who was appointed club coach by owner Keith Look Loy in April, acknowledged, “It was a tough season with competitive teams (like) Queen’s Park, Guaya, Prisons.
“At the end of the day, the guys did well. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted but life goes on.”
Queen’s Park got a pair of goals from striker Devon Modeste, in the 41st and 67th minutes, following Rashad Griffith’s opener in the 23rd.
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