Fatima College capped off long-time rivals Queen’s Royal College woeful 2016 Secondary Schools Football League campaign with a 5-4 penalty-kicks win after a 1-1 deadlock in their Coca-Col North Zone preliminary round clash at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, yesterday.
With both teams already assured of competing in the North Zone Championship Division next year, after finishing the 15-team Shell/First Citizens SSFL Premier Division in the bottom-three along with Pleasantville Secondary, the battle was on to see which team would extend its life in the prestigious knockout competition.
QRC was first to strike through Keyshawn Villafana but Justin Araujo-Wilson replied for Fatima to send the match into penalty-kicks, where former national Under-17 captain, Jean-Paul Rochford crashed the Royalians third attempt off the cross-bar.
With the win, Fatima set up a quarterfinal meeting with fourth placed Premier Division finishers and multiple former zonal and national Inter-Col champions, St Anthony’s College on Wednesday November 9 at the same Serpentine Road, venue.
In the two preliminary matches on Wednesday, Tranquillity Secondary edged Diego Martin Central Secondary 3-2 and Diego Martin North spanked Blanchisseuse, 4-1.
In the East Zone, national Under-17 player, Brandon Semper netted a hat-trick to lead San Juan North Secondary past Barataria South 8-1 in their quarterfinal at the Barataria Oval. Renaldo Boyce and Jerome Cyrus scored two goals each and Miguel Garraway, the other for San Juan North while Darren Daniel got Barataria South’s consolation item.
Joining San Juan North in the semifinals was Valencia Secondary, after its come-from-behind 2-1 defeat of Holy Cross College at El Dorado East Secondary Ground. Travis Byron put Holy Cross ahead in the 11th minute which it held until Keron Kelly’s 47th minute equaliser for Valencia.
Kurdell De Verteuil then got the decisive item for Valencia in the 69th after which they held on for the victory and a semifinal spot.
And over in Tobago, Gered Louis also scored a hat-trick as Mason Hall Secondary held off Scarborough Secondary 3-2 in the first match of a quarterfinal double-header at Mt Pleasant. Louis scored in the 28th for a 1-0 lead before Kareem Agard drew Scarborough level in the 51st.
Seven minutes later Louis got his second to restore Mason Hall’s 2-1 lead and then completed his treble in the 75th to push the margin to 3-1. Dawson Guy got a second item for Scarborough two minutes into time added-on, but it was too late.
Bishop’s High School of and Goodwood Secondary contested the second quarterfinal at Mt Pleasant last night.
Today, action shifts to the Central Zone where three matches are on schedule from 3.30 pm.
Results
Preliminary round
North
Fatima 1 (Justin Araujo-Wilson) vs QRC 1 (Keyshawn Villafana) - Fatima won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
Quarterfinals
East
San Juan North 8 (Brandon Semper 3, Renaldo Boyce 2, Jerome Cyrus 2, Miguel Garraway) vs Barataria South 1 (Darren Daniel)
Valencia High 2 (Keron Kelly 47th, Kurdell De Verteuil 69th) vs Holy Cross (Travis Byron 11th)
Tobago
Mason Hall 3 (Gered Louis 28th, 58th, 75th) vs Scarborough Sec 2 (Kareem Agard 51st, Dawson Guy 90+2)
Today
Central Zone quarterfinals
A- Presentation (Chaguanas) vs Couva East Sec, Carapichaima East Grd, 3.30pm
B- Gasparillo Sec vs Tabaquite Sec, Edinburgh 500 Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
C -Chaguanas North vs Miracle Ministries PHS, Couva East Sec Grd, 3.30 pm
Monday
South
Princes Two West vs Vessigny Sec, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 3pm
Shiva Boys vs St Benedict’s, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 5pm
North
East Mucurapo vs Diego Martin North, St Anthony’s Grd, Westmoorings, 3.30pm
Trinity East vs Tranquillity, Fatima Grd, Mucurapo Road, 3.30 pm.
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