Connection, Jabloteh in Pro Bowl finale

SOUTHERNERS W Connection will meet arch-rivals CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh in the final of the Pro Bowl in the T&T Pro League at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, on Friday. This after the Savonetta men crushed mighty Defence Force 4-0 in the first of two semi-final matches on Friday night last. The result means that they will try for their first piece of silverware this season and another major title in the Pro League, come this weekend. But it will be no pushover, with Jabloteh seemingly finding lost form, since the return of Englishman Terry Fenwick recently.

The San Juan outfit had a much easier semi-final encounter as they literally took advantage of a weak Tobago United team, to come away comfortable 5-0 winners, and worthy finalist in what is expected to be a keen showdown between two of the better teams in local football. In the night’s opening game, both teams went into the half-time interval goalless, but the match took a dramatic twist 15 minutes after the restart when W Connection’s Brazilian Williams De Silva Olivierra opened the scoring in the 60th minute. That goal opened up the flood-gates thereafter, as Shane Calderon added another two minutes later.

And at that stage the Southerners were cruising, and two more strikes only served to underline their dominance of local football. Another Brazilian Ronaldo Viana gave Connection a three-goal cushion in the 64th minute before captain Earl Jean stamped his mark on the game, with his goal four minutes before the end. The second game was anything but a match, as Jabloteh swiftly went into cruise control with opponents Tobago United fighting to hold on. The San Juan unit got goals from Aurtis Whittley, Kerry Noray, Nigel Codrington, Nigel Daniel and Josh Johnson to secure the win without breaking a sweat.