Mucurapo, Scarborough triumph

MUCURAPO and Scarborough needed extra time yesterday to capture the RBTT Intercol North and Tobago Zonal titles respectively. At the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, the Mucurapo outfit got the better of the “Westmoorings Tigers” St Anthony’s 3-2 while Scarborough edged Signal Hill by a similar scoreline at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet. Mucurapo took the lead in the 25th minute, with national Under-17 defender Khaleem Hyland running through a vacant space on the right flank and squaring to striker Richard Roy who buried his 25-metre blast past the flatfooted “Tiger” goalkeeper Keegan Davidson.

Out of the blue, the Tigers levelled the scores in the 40th. On a counter-attack, national Under-20 midfielder Kevon Neaves fed TT Under-17 striker Lester Peltier on the left and his touch-pass to Johnathan Glen was powered beyond the reach of Mucurapo goalie Nigel Thomas. Despite a 45th minute shot by Mucurapo’s Nigel Arthur, which rebounded off the uprights, the Tigers seemed to have the match won when, in the 60th, Kareem Freitas tapped home a Troy Thompson free kick. Defender Irvin Rullow received his second yellow card by referee Shane De Silva in the 71st but St Anthony’s got complacent, and paid dearly for it.

In the 89th, a long ball from Cyrano Glen, brother of national striker Cornell, was received by fellow midfielder Atullah Guerra. With no defender in sight, Guerra rammed home from seven metres out. And victory was secured courtesy of a fantastic free kick in the 91st. Guerra laid off the ball to Roy and, with the defence collapsing, laid off the ball to Glen who rifled his left-footer past the outstretched hand of Davidson. In Tobago, Johnan Roberts put Scarborough ahead after 28 minutes of play before Steven Walters responded for Signal Hill on the stroke of halftime. No goals were scored in the second half, forcing the game into 20 minutes of extra time. In the 100th, Kadeem Phillip restored Scarborough’s advantage but Curtis Moses equalised a minute later.

There was one more bit of drama as, with seconds to go in the match, Phillip found the back of the net, to the delight of the Scarborough supporters. The national Intercol competition will get going from 4 pm today, with “Big” champions, the “Green Machine” St Augustine hosting Presentation at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.