W Connection finally have a hold on the T&T Pro League trophy that has eluded them for the last two years-the Courts Pro Bowl. But it nearly slipped from their grasp once more.
In the first three finals, they were up against CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and twice they came out second best. On Friday night at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Superstar Rangers threatened to rain on their parade.
Connection eventually were 4-3 winners in the penalty shootout, after 90 minutes and injury time failed to separate the two teams in a 2-2 regulation time scoreline.
But Rangers-in their resplendent red and blue uniforms-made Connection work for every inch of the cup they eventually lifted at the end of the night. Even during the shootout, only a controversial spotkick separated the teams.
As he did in the semi-final against United Petrotrin, Connection custodian Jan Michael Williams pulled off two saves to deny Rangers defender Milton Gomez and midfielder Marc Borde.
And a debatable re-kick ordered by referee Neil Brizan gave Christian Viveros a second chance to beat Rangers 'keeper Shane Mattis. Connection's Elijah Joseph also fluffed his effort, but Borde's miss assured the "Savonetta Boys" the silverware.
Rangers skipper Errol McFarlane, though, could have given them a dream victory during stoppage time, but mistimed a perfect chip in the area and lifted it over the bar.
But at the halfway mark, it looked like Connection would win in a canter.
Rangers started the match brightly, but it was their opponents-with the full support of a good crowd at the Marabella venue-who threatened to score first. Earl Jean twice in the first ten minutes outpaced Rangers' defence to the ball before being called for offside.
Inevitably, Gefferson Goulart broke the offside trap in the 11th, despite pleas to Brizan from Rangers' backline, who stood still as Goulart chipped past the advancing Mattis for Jean to finish.
At the other end, Rangers were reduced to ineffective shots from outside the area, as the alert Connection defence crowded out McFarlane and playmaker Kerwyn Jemmott.
In the 24th, Connection doubled their lead through Andre Toussaint in similar fashion to the first, as he sprinted beyond the defence, skipped past the outstretched Mattis and walked the ball home.
They threatened to get another before the break, but Lorne Joseph cleared off the line from Andre Pacheco just before the whistle.
Rangers needed a change, and fast, to have any hope of stealing the crown. Coach Anthony Street replaced a visibly tired Jemmott with Ricardo Aleong and enjoyed immediate success. Ronaldo Viana kept the ball too long in the area and lost out to Aleong, who chipped into the 18-metre box for Peters to head sweetly past Williams in the 57th for a 2-1 scoreline.
On 70 minutes, Joseph was awarded a penalty, which McFarlane calmly slotted home to bring his team level with Connection at 2-2.
Then Devon Modeste forced Williams to tip over from close range and McFarlane faltered in stoppage time and, once more, the outcome needed to be decided from the spot.
There is little shame in losing to W Connection on kicks from the penalty mark after such an epic battle, which just might have been a case of deja vu for the boys in white and green, resembling their many tense encounters with arch-rivals Jabloteh.
In the end, the difference between the teams was a bit of luck and the class of a side who have been in such situations so many times before. And Rangers' reputation as a big threat in the T&T Pro League just grew bigger.
W Connection: - Jan-Michael Williams; Clyde Leon, Elijah Joseph, David Atiba Charles, Andrei Pacheco, Nickcolson Thomas, Christian Viveros, Ronaldo Viana (Leslie Fitzpatrick 68th), Gefferson Goulart (Kevin Nelson 79th), Andre Toussaint (Shane Calderon 58th), Earl Jean (capt).
Superstar Rangers: - Shane Mattis; Dean Pacheco, Coneal Thomas, Marvin James (Milton Gomez 37th), Lorne Joseph (Elijah Belgrave 77th), Kerwin Jemmott (Ricardo Aleong 55th), Devon Modeste, Marc Borde, Joseph Peters, Todd Ryan, Errol McFarlane (capt).