Arima edge San Juan for East title, 'Caps' retains in Central

The "Dial Dynamos" did not play at their best, but got the goals when required, enough for them to move on to the National InterCol semi-finals for the first time since 2003, where they will face Carapichaima East Secondary.

Rondell Elie and Che Edwards scored for Arima on either side of half-time, while Daniel Banfield got a late item for San Juan.

Arima were more daring in front of goal in the first half and were rewarded with a 1-0 lead.

They were cheering as early as the eighth minute when Kwame Hazel bundled the ball home only to realise he had been ruled offside.

San Juan themselves were not afraid to attack, but their "walk-in" approach made it easier for the Arima defence.

Dexter Perouse was lively for San Juan up front, but kept trying to run to goal rather than shoot in space.

Arima were wasteful too, like in the 15th when Marcus Gomez swept in a nice cross from the right for Kern Roberts, who booted over from six metres.

Gomez, a skillful attacking player, was guilty of over-dribbling when he could have turned provider to supporting players.

But Rondell Elie made use of his chance when he got two bites of the cherry in the 21st, as San Juan failed to clear the loose ball from his first shot off a corner kick. He squeezed in the second for the Arima lead.

San Juan could have equalised five minutes before the half, but Angelo Leandre put his point-blank header wide from a right side Jelani Felix cross.

Arima were a lot less effective coming forward after the break and had to endure a 20-minute period of pressure from San Juan.

But the wheels of the San Juan bus started wobbling in the 68th when Enrique Lezama was sent off after collecting yellow, first for a dive in the area, then for the dissent that followed.

Those wheels were well and truly off by the 75th, when Che Edwards took the lay off from Gomez, lost the ball on the left of the penalty area, but regained it and rifled the ball into the far post.

San Juan had one more chance two minutes later, but the Arima defence intervened to prevent substitute Corrie Dhanoolal from finding the far post.

Persistence paid off in the 88th for San Juan, as they pulled one back to cause Arima some nervy moments, Daniel Banfield the scorer with a drive into the near post from the right of the penalty area.

But it was too little, too late for San Juan by then, and the final whistle announced that Arima are the new East Zone kings.

'Caps' retain Central InterCol title

Carapichaima East Secondary celebrated yet another trip to the Coca Cola InterCol national semi-finals yesterday, this time picking up the Central InterCol title by beating Couva West Secondary 5-2 at Couva's Ato Boldon Stadium.

Kareem Ryce, Christopher Prime and Kern Alexis gave "Caps" a deserving 3-0 lead by 31 minutes, before Kendell Benjamin pulled one back for Couva for a 3-1 half-time score.

And Couva made the match even more interesting when Ronald Rouse fired home just after the break, but Alexis and Shaquille Holder had a late goal each to ensure a Carapichaima victory.

It was not the sharpest of performances from "Caps," but their early work ensured they beat their opponents for the third time this season.

InterCol is usually the great equaliser, giving underdogs a chance to upset their more favoured opponents, but it was clear after 11 minutes that the Caps mountain was too high for Couva West to climb.

That did not stop them from trying, Jaffet Williams taking the lead for Couva. Accuracy, though, was lacking and they were also caught offside a few times.

By the time Couva did put their mark on the scoresheet, they had already conceded three goals.

Carapichaima got the go-ahead goal from Ryce in the 11th. He was given too much time and space on the left and his bullet pinged off the inside of the far post into the net.

And after Denzil Gill hit right at Christopher Banfield, the Couva goalkeeper, and a blast by Caps skipper Holder forced Banfield to save, the East champs doubled their lead in the 29th.

Kadeem Boyce this time turned provider from midfield, with a straight pass up the centre for Prime, who streaked into the box and beat Banfield to his left.

That two-goal advantage become three in the 31st when a header from Alexis snuck past Banfield and nestled into the Couva net.

Caps were perhaps a little too comfortable with that lead and were punished by hard-working Couva in the 36th minute.

Williams was of course involved, as Couva overturned a Caps attack and their captain collected the long ball, turned quickly, and slid the ball across the field for his on-rushing strike partner, Benjamin.
Benjamin obliged despite being pulled back by Caps 'keeper Demetrius Edwards and powered the ball beneath the crossbar for a 3-1 score that stood at half-time.

Couva's climb looked all the more possible when they pulled another goal back within two minutes of the resumption, half-time substitute Ronald Rouse hammering home with the help of a deflection.

Couva had several chances after that, including a few right side free kicks, but were not as clinical as they would have needed to be to trouble Edwards a third time.

And in the 86th, Alexis  sealed the victory for Carapichaima with a nice header off a corner kick inside of the near post, before Holder chipped home a minute later after Banfield came out for the ball and was stranded off his line.

Carapichaima will now play the winners of today's East final between Arima North Secondary and San Juan North Secondary at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, in the InterCol semis.