A Charity Shield, two knockout titles and qualification into the 2013-2014 CONCACAF Champions’ League which begins in July: The season has turned out quite impressive for DIRECTV W Connection after all.
On Wednesday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Connection who finished two spots short of defending Digicel Pro League Championship this season behind runners-up Caledonia AIA (42 points) and champions Defence Force (46 points) with 38 points, were crowned Digicel Pro Bowl champions after defeating North East Stars 4-3 on penalties following a goalless Final.
And it was the very same Sangre Grande club that Connection defeated one month ago (May 3) to win the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield with a carbon copied result—4-3 on kicks from the penalty spot following a goalless draw, and the Marvin Lee Stadium venue being the only difference.
Coach Stuart Charles Fevrier who also led the ‘Savonnetta Boys’ to the inaugural Digicel Charity Shield last September by defeating Defence Force 2-0, was named Coach of the Digicel Pro Bowl tournament and deservingly so.
Connection, the 2004 and 2007 winners, ousted Caledonia in the quarterfinal round 3-1 and then pulled off a 4-3 penalty win over last season’s winners Defence Force following a 1-1 draw in the semifinal round.
And on Wednesday it was destined for another penalty shootout from early on.
Eight minutes into the contest Connection captain and midfielder Clyde Leon failed to put his side in front when he was played in by a ball over the top by Andrei Pacheco.
Instead what seemed an attempted strike flew wide of the back post and teenaged teammate Neil Benjamin was just short of making contact.
Connection was later denied the first of many chances by Stars’ goalie and eventual Final MVP, Cleon John.
In the 26th minute from a stinger of a free-kick by Pacheco, after Joevin Jones was clipped down just outside the area by the legs of Keryn Navarro and Jeromie Williams a minute earlier, John measured the effort with a superb one handed save.
John was unbeatable again in the 36th minute fisting out a Clyde Leon strike from distance, and to double Connection’s disappointment, Benjamin struck wide off the rebound from the top of the six yard area.
Five minutes from the break referee Neil Brizan had to get more involved than regular, forming a barrier between players of North East Stars and Connection to prevent a brawl following a crunching tackle by Stars’ midfielder Jeromie Williams on Benjamin.
Instigator Daneil Cyrus, who later did enough to frustrate unaided Stars’ forward Cornell Glen out of the game, was booked along with teammate and goalie Alejandro Figueroa and Stars’ defender Kareem Moses in the brief fracas.
But in the second period Connection dominated possession as well as chances. However the eventual winners just couldn’t get past goalkeeper John within regulation time.
Six minutes after the break, Stefano Rijssell who had an excellent performance despite not finding the back of the net and had an ambitious effort from distance in the 21st minute, failed to hit the target in the following a bit of chaos in the North East area.
Cyrus then tried his luck in the 56th minute from distance and a good effort too, but John pulled off a decent save.
John made yet another save in the 65th minute to keep the Stars in the game, blanking Kurt Frederick from point blank after a brilliant run and pass by Rijssel into the area.
In the 81st minute a left footed Kurt Frederick strike was tamed by John and the rebound headed wide by Arcia from an offside position as the match steered towards kicks from the penalty mark.
Talented Connection defender-turned-midfielder Joevin Jones, coming off a slight groin injury, wasn’t his usual energetic self, but made certain his opponents knew of his presence on the pitch.
Jones, who had a free-kick over-bar in the 10th minute, and a defected effort wide in the 58th minute, had another effort deflect wide in the 90th minute.
After four minutes of injury time, North East Stars failed to play themselves mentally back into the game.
An ambitious curling effort by Kennedy Hinkson in the 19th minute which was gathered in midair by Figueroa, and a Glen pass to substitute Elijah Manners which only produced an effort just wide of the first post in the 64th minute wasn’t enough to motivate the Sangre Grande club from the spot.
Glen took to the spot first, and his effort was saved by Figueroa. Then Jones for Connection and he spanked his effort wide. But when Elton John struck the crossbar in the fourth, it was all Connection’s. (See full kicks from the penalty mark table below.)
Kicks from the penalty mark
North East Stars 3 W Connection 4
Cornell Glen (saved) Joevin Jones (missed)
Elijah Manners (scored) Silvio Spann (scored)
Kareem Moses (scored) Gerrard Williams (scored)
Elton John (missed) crossbar Hashim Arcia (scored)
Kennedy Hinkson (scored) Eligah Joseph (scored)
Teams
North East Stars—Cleon John (capt), Kareem Moses (Yellow Card), Kevon Villaroel, Jeromie Williams (Elijah Manners 55th), Elton John, Gary Glasgow (Jayson Joseph 54th), Cornell Glen, Kaashif Thomas (Keithy Simpson 62nd) (Yellow Card), Glenton Wolfe, Kennedy Hinkson, Keryn Navarro.
Unused substitutes—Adrian Foncette, Kerry Baptiste, Akiel Guevara, Shane Hospidales.
Coach—Angus Eve.
W Connection—Alejandro Figueroa (Yellow Card), Clyde Leon (capt.) (Yellow Card) (Silvio Spann 80th), Daneil Cyrus (Yellow Card), Eligah Joseph, Gerrard Williams (Yellow Card), Andrei Pacheco (Jomal Williams 77th) (Yellow Card), Christian Viveros, Stefano Rijssel, Kurt Frederick, Joevin Jones, Neil Benjamin (Hashim Arcia 46th).
Unused substitute—Aquelius Sylvester, Jerrel Britto, Alvin Jones, Tremain Shayn Paul.
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier.
Match Officials
Referee—Neil Brizan.
First Assistant—Dion Neil.
Second Assistant—Ainsley Rochard.
Fourth Official—Rodphin Harris.