ATO BOLDON STADIUM, Couva – Police FC and defending champions W Connection both advanced into the Final of the 2014 Digicel Pro League but in contrasting fashion over semi-final opponents Defence Force and Central FC respectively on Friday night.
Police, qualifying for its first Cup Final in 18 years, whipped former winners Defence Force 4-2 in semi-final one with brothers Jameel and Kareem Perry both scoring twice.
And in semi-final two, Central surrendered to a late deflected W Connection equaliser scored by Stefano Rijssel – tying the score at 1-1 – before bowing out 4-2 on kicks from the penalty mark.
Connection, pushing for a fourth major title and fifth overall this season, in the process crashing the farewell party of Central FC head coach Terry Fenwick, who is set to join Belgium lower league outfit Cercle Sportif Visé next week.
Central looked in control for what would have been their fourth "El Clásico" win in seven against Connection this season after forward Willis Plaza's 13th minute item.
Plaza controlled a throw-in by Akeem Benjamin before weaving his way into the Connection area to hit into goalkeeper Julani Archibald's far netting for a 1-0 advantage.
The Trinidad and Tobago international missed out on another on the 33rd minute, denied by the base of the upright after international teammate Rundell Winchester sent a low cross into the area.
Plaza had another decent try in the 79th minute, hitting just wide of the far post from the right following a play involving Marvin Oliver and Ataullah Guerra.
But four minutes from the end of regulation time Connection leveled the score 1-1 when a deflected Rijssel strike defeated former "Savonnetta Boys" goalie Jan-Michael Williams at the near post to later send the match into kicks from the penalty mark.
Twenty-two-year-old St. Kitts/Nevis international and Connection goalie Julani Archibald pulled off saves denying Plaza and Elton John to blank Central on their first two tries.
Connection were the first to the spot and Joevin Jones easily converted against Williams, who twice denied the midfielder during the semi-final contest.
Hashim Arcia was next for Connection but his effort crashed off the crossbar.
However Alvin Jones and Mekeil Williams were clinical from the spot, and following a bit of confusion by referee Gyasi Mc Donald, who blew prematurely to signal a winner, Gerard Williams scored the eventual Connection winner.
Oliver and Leston Paul converted Central's third and fourth kicks but there wasn't any letting up by Connection, against the side that defeated them 4-2 in the quarterfinal round of the First Citizens Cup and 2-1 in the Final of the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield.
Connection, winners of this season's Digicel Charity Shield, Toyota Classic, FA Trophy and the 2013-2014 Digciel Pro League, will for the first time in their 15-year history of professional football will meet Police FC in a Final from 8 pm on Friday 23 May at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Jameel and Kareem Perry picked separate halves to shine in a top drawer performance by the "Lawmen" that secured the club's first Cup Final since the 1996 FA Trophy Final, which, ironically they lost to Defence Force.
However Kareem (Perry), who was ejected in stoppage time after picking up his second yellow card from referee Cecil Hinds for delaying tactics, will miss the big stage against Connection for the $100,000 winner takes all prize.
Surely a blow for coach Richard Hood, who had his side, marshaled by midfield duo of team captain Todd Ryan and Trent Noel, fully motivated against the soldiers.
Jameel (Perry) had Police 1-0 ahead by the 23rd minute, capitalizing on a poor clearance by rookie Defence Force defender Jamali Garcia before lifting a strike over goalkeeper Kevin Graham and into the far netting.
Perry then double his tally for a 2-0 Police cushion by the 36th minute at the Couva venue.
Another long pass from midfield, and a poor attempted clearance by a more experienced Army captain, Corey Rivers, allowed Perry to race into the area, dance off a retreating Rivers and Graham, then slap a left footed strike into the back of the net.
Perry, who missed the target three minutes into the match, missed out on a third on the 45th minute when his half volley from inside the area took a deflection to fly wide of the upright.
Then on the other end before Hinds' half time whistle, Defence Force reduced the deficit 1-2.
However owed it to luck when Akeem Roach's sliding connect to a Josimar Belgrave cross looped the ball high into the air before it landed inside the far upright to the surprise of goalkeeper Adrian Foncette and everyone else on the pitch.
But in a space of four minutes, early in the second half, a pair of Kareem (Perry) goals had Hood's "Lawmen" well ahead 4-1.
Kareem blasted past Foncette in the 53rd minute from just inside the area for his first item off a Noel corner.
And by the 56th minute Kareem joined Jameel with a double on the scoresheet, scoring with a superb strike from distance and into the upper corner, leaving no chance to goalkeeper Graham.
Graham was later fortunate to see a Noel free-kick curl wide of his far upright in the 72nd minute, and ten minutes later substitute Vernell Ramirez's effort overbar following a neat buildup by the "Lawmen".
Defence Force pulled back another goal in the 83rd minute for 2-4 deficit when Belgrave blasted past Foncette from the middle of the area.
But when substitute Richard Roy's deflected effort in the 88th minute crashed off the crossbar, it was clearly the end of a miserable season for Defence Force.
Graham had one last save in him though, and a somewhat satisfying one, when he denied Jameel a hat-trick.
Digicel Pro Bowl 2014 Semi Final One
Police FC 4—2 Defence Force
Jameel Perry 23', 36', Kareem Perry 53', 56' ; Akeem Roach 45', Josimar Belgrave 83'
Teams
Police FC—18. Adrian Foncette, 21. Todd Ryan (C), 5. Anton Hutchinson, 10. Trent Noel, 11. Kareem Perry (Yellow Card+Yellow Card=Red Card), 13. Elijah Roberts (6. Kenaz Williams 80th), 15. Jameel Perry (24. Kemron Purcell 95th), 17. Dexter Alleyne, 20. Elijah Belgrave, 23. LJ Akeem Mitchell (12. Vernell Ramirez 67th), 29. Clevon Mc Fee
Unused substitutes—31. Theon Brown (GK), 26. Wendell Joseph, 27. Dwayne Salazar
Coach—Head Coach
Defence Force—1. Kevin Graham, 14. Corey Rivers (C), 3. Keston Williams (Yellow Card), 4. Dave Long (Yellow Card), 10. Josimar Belgrave, 17. Ross Russell Jr., 18. Sean Narcis (15. Jerwyn Balthazar 58th), 23. Kerry Joseph (63. Balondemu Julius 63rd), 30. Akeem Roach, 31. Jamali Garcia, 65. Levi Serries (26. Richard Roy 54th)
Unused substitutes—8. Curtis Gonzales, 25. Dwayne Thomas (GK), 80. Adrian Welch, 16. Kellon Serrette
Coach—Ross Russell
Match Referee—Cecil Hinds
Semi Final Two
W Connection 1(4)—(2)1 Central FC
Willis Plaza 13' ; Stefano Rijssel 86'
Kicks from the penalty mark
W Connection 4 Central FC 2
Joevin Jones (scored) Willis Plaza (saved)
Hashim Arcia (crossbar) Elton John (saved)
Alvin Jones (scored) Marvin Oliver (scored)
Mekeil Williams (scored) Leston Paul (scored)
Gerard Williams (scored)
Teams
W Connection—18. Julani Archibald, 3. Gerard Williams (C), 7. Silvio Spann (40. Jomal Williams 69th minute), 10. Joevin Jones (Yellow Card), 12. Jerrel Britto (65. Neil Benjamin Jr. 66th), 14. Hashim Arcia, 15. Mekeil Williams, 19. Leslie Joel Russell (Yellow Card), 20. Stefano Rijssel, 39. Alvin Jones (Yellow Card), 2. Kurt Frederick
Unused substitutes—13. Devaughn Elliot, 22. Aquelius Sylvester (GK), 25. Christian Viveros, 26. Eden Charles, 29. Mickaeel Gem Gordon
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier
Central FC—21. Jan Michael Williams (GK), 10. Marvin Oliver (C), 1. Willis Plaza (Yellow Card), 2. Elton John (Yellow Card), 6. Leston Paul (Yellow Card), 7. Jason Marcano (4. Sean de Silva 75th), 11. Darren Mitchell, 17. Rundell Winchester (Yellow Card), 24. Akeem Benjamin, 45. Ataullah Guerra, 50. Yohance Marshall
Unused substitutes—9. Dwight Quintero, 15. Kaydion Gabriel, 18. Kevon Goddard, 22. Keon Trim, 25. Javon Sample, 27. Samuel Delice
Coach—Terry Fenwick
Match Referee—Gyasi Mc Donald