San Juan dump Mucurapo 3-1 in ‘Big 5’

The East Zone winners will meet either Naparima or Tobagonians Signal Hill who clash in the other semi-final today at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella for a place in Saturday’s final.

Mucurapo took the lead in the 29th minute when Akim Armstrong rifled in a right-footed shot after Glenroy Samuels failed to clear a centre from Jeffrey Alexis from the right, and they kept this lead until the half-time. But San Juan were level in the 53rd minute when goalkeeper Densil Carabon could only parry Rondell Elcock’s centre from the right into the path of Elijah Manners who smashed a low right-footer into the nets.

The Mucurapo boys lost their coach Selris Figaro in the 58th when he was ordered off the bench by referee Jagdesh Bhimull for dissent. And San Juan took the lead in the 70th minute when Elcock gleefully pounced on a missed clearance by Seon Goodridge to hit a 20-metre shot past Carabon.

Mucurapo were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute when Khaleem Hyland received his second yellow card.

Anthony Guppy iced the victory for the lads from Bourg Mulatresse when goalkeeper Carabon slapped the ball in his path inside the box, and he wasted no time in hitting a left-footer into the net. Further woe befell the Mucurapo boys when Richard Roy was given marching orders by referee Bhimull for dissent in time added on.