Arima advanced to the East Zone final of the Coca-Cola Intercol competition yesterday with a 2-1 victory over St Augustine at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, the first game of a quarter-final double-header.
St Augustine’s captain Jamal Creightan was both the hero and villain for his team, netting the equaliser but scoring an own goal to guarantee Arima the right to defend their East Intercol crown.
Shundell Mayers gave Arima a 42nd minute lead, with a right-footed shot over St Augustine’s goalkeeper Kerron Jones — the only meaningful moment of a dogged first-half.
But Creightan put his team back on level terms in the 69th, slotting his penalty to the right of the flat-footed Joseph Craig in the Arima goal after Tevin Figaro was bundled in the penalty box by St Augustine’s Shannon Gomez.
However, Arima got the winner in fortuitous circumstances six minutes later, as Marcus Gomez’s deep throw from the left was headed into his own net by the lanky St Augustine captain, who was left crestfallen after the final whistle.
A new South Zone champ will be crowned this year as Presentation San Fernando got the better of 2010 winners Naparima 2-1 in the first of back-to-back semi-final matches at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
The prolific Shakiel Henry was the star for Presentation with a pair, in the seventh and 57th minutes, while Naparima’s goal-getter was Akeem Julien in the 24th.
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