Trinidad and Tobago Pro League leaders Vibe CT105 W Connection made a winning start to their 2005 T&T Pro Bowl campaign with a tidy 2-0 defeat of National Quarries North East Stars in the second game of a triple-header of quarter-finals on Friday night at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
W Connection dominated proceedings and took the lead as early as the 15th minute when Andre Toussaint's six-metre effort took a deflection off a defender and settled in the back of the net.
Three minutes later Toussaint came close to adding another when he spotted goalkeeper Trevor Nottingham off his line but his long-range effort sailed just a fraction wide of the upright.
In the 26th minute Nottingham was called into service and he conjured up an excellent block on a powerful Earl Jean shot, but with just two minutes having elapsed after that foray Nottingham was powerless to prevent Toussaint from scoring his second when he collected Jefferson Goulart's left-side through pass and easily beat the advancing keeper.
One minute before the interval Kendall Jagdeosingh had the fans of North East Stars groaning in despair when, with only Alejandro Figueroa to beat between Connection's uprights, he stumbled and fell over the ball.
On the resumption, W Connection continued to maintain control of the game but squandered several scoring opportunities.
First, Ronaldo Viana kicked wide in the 74th minute after collecting a brillaint Toussaint through pass, then William da Silva Oliveira's free kick seemed heading into the top left hand corner of the Stars foal until Nottingham just managed to get his fingers to the ball, pushing it over the bar.
Jose Luis Seabra also muffed two chances in the 77th and 83th minutes when on both occasions he placed his effort wide of the target.
In the evening's first fixture, Defence Force ran out fortunate 2-1 winners over battling United Petrotrin.
The south-based outfit took the fight to their northern counterparts from the opening whistle but lady luck was just not with them on the evening.
Army took the lead through a 44th minute own-goal when Petrotrin's defender Al Sinclair, in attempting to make a clearance, sliced the ball past his bewildered keeper Perry Martin.
Second half action saw the southerners dominating possession as they went in search of the equaliser, with Brent Hudson being mere inches off with his shot on the Defence Force goal in the 52nd minute.
Six minutes later the oil men were again unlucky as Jerol Forbes' powerful header went sailing over the crossbar.
And in the 81st minute, against the run of play, the Army increased their advantage when Devon Jorsling delivered a right side cross which Kevon Carter collected, cooly dribbled goalkeeper Martin and put the ball into an open goal.
Though they had nothing to show for their efforts, the Petrotrin players just did not give up and their persistence was finally rewarded five minutes from time when Andy Alves raced down the right flank and squared back for Kelvin Hernandez to drill home.
Army ensured there would be no heroics by Petrotrin in the final minutes of the match and came away 2-1 winners, thereby securing a semi-final booking.
And in the night's final encounter, an Aurtis Whitley first half double, along with an item apiece from Devon Mitchell and second half substitute Travis Mulraine, gave CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh a 4-1 drubbing of eastern rivals Caledonia AIA Fire.
Pro Bowl Quater-Final Results:
Defence Force 2 (A.Sinclair own-goal, K.Carter 81st) vs United Petrotrin 1 (K.Hernandez 85th).
W Connection 2 (A.Toussaint 15th, 28th) vs North East Stars 0.
San Juan Jabloteh 4 (A.Whitley 14th, 35th, D.Mitchell 23rd, T.Mulraine 90th) vs Caledonia AIA Fire 1 (A. Phillips 75th).