ON May 25, Pro Series will go in search of two titles in the Trinidad leg of the 2024 Republic Cup competition when they contest the boys’ under-16 final and the girls’ under-20 final respectively.
Last year, Pro Series copped the boys’ under-15 and under-17 crowns in the Trinidad leg of the competition. On Saturday, Pro Series got a right battle from Trendsetter Hawks in their under-16 semifinal at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training field, Mucurapo, but a goal in first-half stoppage-time by Daquan Johnson gave them a pivotal 1-0 win and secured their spot in the final.
The other under-16 semi was also decided by the solitary goal, as Chad Nicholas scored in the 26th minute to secure Beatnix’s victory against FC Ginga at Frederick Settlement, Caroni. In the second game of a semifinal doubleheader at the University of TT, O’Meara campus, Pro Series’ under-20 girls team booked their spot in the final when they came from a goal down to beat the high-scoring Pleasantville FC team by a 3-1 margin.
Pleasantville took the lead in the 18th minute through T&T youth star Nikita Gosine, but her national youth teammate Rasheda Archer stole the show as she scored a double to help Pro Series to the precious comeback victory.
In the other girls’ semi, MIC Matura ReUnited did their damage early as they got first-half goals from Eva Nicholas and Jessica Harrigan as they blanked Trincity Nationals by a 2-0 margin.
Also in O’Meara, Central outfit Evolution FC kept rampant national under-20 attacker Malachi Webb in check as they got a 2-0 win over Premier SC to advance to the boys’ under-20 final in style.
In the quarterfinals, the bustling Webb scored a beaver-trick as he fired Premier SC past Pro Series by a 4-3 margin. However, Webb’s threat was kept in check by the centre back pairing of Miqel Samuel and St Benedict’s College captain Joshua Demas. At the other end, Evolution critically did their business in the second half, and they took the lead in the 69th minute when Kermannuel Christopher banged in from close range after a well-worked free kick.
In stoppage time, Evolution got the knockout blow when Kirziah Mayers scored directly from a right-side corner after the goalkeeper made a meal of his left-footed delivery.
In the other boys’ under-20 semifinal in Mucurapo, Athletic International Academy (AIA) conceded a late first-half goal to City FC, but Dalon Sankar scored a second-half double to grant his team a 2-1 comeback victory.
In the boys’ under-14 semis, Samuel Balfour went on a rampage for Union Hall United as he scored three of his four goals in the second half to steer his team to a thrilling 6-3 victory against their South rivals Cox Coaching School.
In the other under-14 semi, Jeremai Nanton scored a brace in the second half as City FC cruised to a 3-0 victory against Cardinals FA. After the Trinidad finals are decided on May 25, the national champions will be crowned on June 1 when the varying Trinidad winners tackle the Tobago champions.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday