Midfielder Jamali Garcia scored a set-piece double to hand defending champion St Anthony’s College a berth into the Coca-Cola Trinidad North Zone InterCol semifinal, after the Tigers recorded a comprehensive 2-0 victory over newly promoted Malick Secondary, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain.
Garcia, who scored in either half put St Anthony's into the final four, where they meet St Mary's College, which dropped Queen's Royal College (QRC) 2-0, in the second double-header match at the national stadium.
The opening match did not feature end-to-end excitement, but with the return of national under-20 players Keane McIvor and Xavier Rajpaul, St Anthony's put on a complete performance against a Malick outfit which seemingly lacked structure.
The Tigers defense limited Malick to hopeful advanced passing, while the attack notably though Adrian Millette attempted to thread a perfect attack. However, the final touch was missing from either team.
St Anthony's took the advantage when they were awarded a penalty with two minutes left in the match. Millette beat a host of Malick defenders before having his ankles clipped from behind. Garcia stepped up and shot confidently as he wrong footed Lester Durham in Malick's goal.
With no more than five minutes spent in the second half, Lester had to pick the ball out from inside the net when Garcia found his second with a powerful header. Garcia beat three Malick defenders in the air to a corner kick from Adriel Kerr to hand his team a comfortable lead.
Malick, in particular, its attackers Encoce David and Kyle Adams gave a strong account with their work rate and decision making, but struggled to find support. St Anthony's continued to create chances, and Millette may found one to his credit, had his finishing been as clinical as his build-up play.
With 10 minutes left in the match, Millette connected with a ball which snuck through the midfielder, and outpaced the entire Malick back line, before rounding Durham, but his eventual shot was diverted by backtracking defender Cedric Commisiong who recovered well.
The full time whistle saw the Tigers record yet a win which came one match after its 33-match unbeaten streak was broken by eventual champions Carapichaima East Secondary, in the Big-Five competition.
In the second match, St Mary's College required two late goals from wide forwards Sebastien Cabral and Jamiel Williams to oust old rival QRC. Cabral scored from close range after being found by the team's leading scorer Rashaad Hyacinth.
Hyacinth combined well with a wide played, who played a cheeky ball into his path, before he passed it on to Cabral. Five minutes after the opener, Williams, lurking in penalty area connected from a cross before guiding the ball clinically into the net with a right footed swerving effort.
On Wednesday, St Anthony's and St Mary's will meet in the second semifinal match in a Hasely Crawford Stadium double-header, at 5 pm.
The first match will feature Diego Martin North Secondary and Trinity College, which shocked, Fatima and East Mucurapo, with wins in the quarterfinal.
Over in the East, Arima North and Trinity College East secured wins, which put them into the semifinal where they meet each other.
Arima North welcomed Valencia High in to the top flight schools' football with a 5-0 whipping, at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima. Jamal Francois scored the only first half goal, before Kwasi Winsor, Rondell Elie, Shilo John and returning U-20 national player Marcus Gomez, sealed an emphatic win for the reigning East Zone league and InterCol champions.
Trinity East, playing in the second fixture, recorded a late goal compliments of Antonio Auguste (82nd), as they ended El Dorado East 1-0. The two semifinalists will meet at the same venue on Friday, from 4 pm.
The match will follow St Augustine Secondary's clash with El Dorado West, which kicks off at 2 pm.
The final round of quarterfinal matches in the South Zone will play on Wednesday, when Presentation College of San Fernando tackles Mayaro Secondary, from 3 pm, in the first match of a double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
In the second match at 5 pm, St Benedict's will take on Princes Town.
Taylor brace hands Debe Trinidad InterCol title
Less than two weeks after scoring a double to drop St Augustine Secondary out of the Big-Four competition, national youth midfielder Kayla Taylor scored another two goals to land the South champions the BGTT/ First Citizens Trinidad InterCol trophy, yesterday.
Taylor came on as a substitute in the second half, before scoring in the 54th and 67th minutes, to hand the country's most dominant force in girls' football, the second biggest trophy on the calendar.
The result saw Debe complete its 13th straight victory since the season began. So far, it has picked up the South Zone league title, the Big-Four, and now the Trinidad InterCol title.
Debe will be seeking to complete a perfect season, when it takes on Tobago champions Bishiop's High, in the National InterCol final. The match will kick off at 3 pm, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Boys InterCol quarterfinal Results
North Zone
St Anthony's College 2 (Jamali Garcia 43rd, 54th) v Malick 0
St Mary's College 2 (Sebastien Cabral, Jamiel Williams) v QRC 0
East
Arima North 5 (Jamal Francois 23th, Kwasi Winsor 50th, Rondell Elie 61st, Marcus Gomez 75th, Shilo Johnson 80th) v Valencia High 0
Trinity East 1 (Antonio Auguste 82nd) v El Dorado East 0
Girls Trinidad InterCol final
Debe 2 (Kayla Taylor 54th, 67th) v St Augustine 0.
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