Willan Garcia scored with two minutes left in the match as T&TEC held off a late fight back from Petrotrin Palo Seco to take the Southern Football Association League Cup final, 3-2 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Tuesday night.
As early as the fifth minute, Kheelon Farrier had the “Electricity Boys” in front while Petrotrin’s Kervin Marck conceded an own-goal seven minutes later as his team fell into a 2-0 hole, less than 15 minutes into the match.
Mark soon made amends at the other end of the field though as he pulled one back a minute later as Petrotrin Palo Seco went in at the half, trailing 2-1. On the resumption, the “Oilmen” picked up the pace somewhat and managed to get on even terms in the 61st minute.
The match then seemed headed for penalties, until Garcia conjured up the winner for T&TEC with two minutes left in regulation time to secure the $4,000 winners’ cheque and trophy sponsored by Petrotrin.
Ironically, both finalists reached the decider by protest action. T&TEC advanced after beating Penal All Stars 5-2 on aggregate. This after a 2-2 draw in the second-leg while T&TEC was awarded a 3-0 win in the first-leg semifinal which had ended 1-1. The “Electricity Boys” were granted the win by the SFA Disciplinary Committee after All Stars used an unregistered player.
Petrotrin Palo Seco was also gifted a spot in the final after Diamond United was thrown out of the competition by the Disciplinary Committee. Diamond United had beaten Petrotrin Palo Seco 6-1 and 2-1 for an 8-2 aggregate win and a place in the League Cup final at Palo Seco.
However, Petrotrin Palo Seco protested the use of former national Under-20 player Juma Clarenece was not legal as the player was not transferred from his previous club in Turkey.
The protest was upheld by the SFA’s Disciplinary Committee which handed Petrotrin Palo Seco a place in the final.