Defence Force advanced into the semi-final round of the 2012 Toyota Classic in style by hammering Super League club Westside Superstarz 7-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Soldiers will meet defending champions DIRECTV W Connection from 9pm on Friday night in semi-final two at the very same Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Connection secured its semi-final spot with a 4-0 win over Super League leaders WASA FC in the second quarter-final clash at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium following North East Stars 6-2 triumph over fellow Pro League club T&TEC FC.
North East Stars will take on Super League club Stokely Vale from 7pm on Friday in semi-final one. Stokely Vale upset Caledonia 6-5 on penalties at the Hasely Crawford Stadium following a 3-3 draw.
But Defence Force made an easy meal out of Superstarz with Josimar Belgrave netting a hat-trick (39th, 66th & 81st minutes), Jemel Sebro a first half double (11th & 34th minutes) and Ross Russell Jr. (71st minute) and Devorn Jorsling (86th minute) a goal each.
While at the Marabella venue Connection had a tough test before getting past WASA goalie Michael Woods.
Woods pulled off two brilliant back to back saves in the 5th minute first shutting out Hashim Arcia’s strike before pushing behind the rebound effort by Clyde Leon.
The former Caledonia and North East Stars goalie was superb again in the 26th minute denying Arcia from the penalty spot and a rebound strike from Kurt Federick after a handball in the area.
However Woods was motionless in the 35th minute when from a freekick on the right by Joevin Jones, Jerrel Britto got a perfect flick off the head to send the ball inside the far upright for a 1-0 Connection advantage.
Woods was left to dry again on the stroke of halftime as Connection took to the break with a 2-0 advantage.
Arcia picked up a ricochet Britto effort and executed some great skill before burying his shot into the bottom corner.
Three minutes after the break Arcia found the back of the net again by directing in Britto’s low past Woods however the flag had already gone against the Connection player for offside.
Connection kept the pressure on WASA and Britto forced another save out of Woods in the 50th before Joevin Jones struck the crossbar five minutes later.
WASA had an opening in the 64th minute but failed to find the back of the Connection net when Kern Cupid cleared an effort off the line and the rebound strike was charged away by goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams.
Connection responded with a goal in the 86th minute for a 3-0 score as Jerrel Britto celebrated his second. And Shahdon Winchester added Connection’s fourth for the 4-0 finish in injury time when he picked up a quick release by substitute Rennie Britto and
W Connection 4—0 WASA FC
Jerrel Britto 35’, 86’, Hashim Arcia 45’, Shahdon Winchester 90’+
Defence Force 7—0 Westside Superstarz
Jemel Sebro 11’, 34’, Josimar Belgrave 39’, 66’, 81’, Ross Russell Jr. 71’, Devorn Jorsling 86’
Teams
W Connection—Jan Michael Williams (capt.), Elijah Joseph, Kern Cupid, Hashim Arcia (Rennie Britto 64th), Clyde Leon, Leslie Joel Russell, Silvio Spann (Andre Quashie 69th), Jerrel Britto, Kurt Frederick, Joevin Jones (Christian Viveros 76th), Shahdoon Winchester.
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier.
WASA FC—Michael Woods, Keston Thomas (capt.) (Michael Waldron 57th), Damien Pompey, Akil Harley, Kerron Smith, Fabien Garcia, Jahan Hernandez, Shane Calderon, Dillon Kirton (Cleveland Cambridge 46th), Dillon Peterson (Glen Walker 58th), Ethan Robinson.
Coach—Anthony Dhanoolal.