Jabloteh face Connection for FCB Cup

CL FINANCIAL San Juan Jabloteh will face off against W Connection in the final of the second annual First Citizens’ Bank (FCB) Cup on July 30.

Jabloteh, who entered Wednesday night’s second leg semi-final clash against Joe Public with a 3-0 advantage, edged the “Eastern Lions” 1-0, for a 4-0 aggregate scoreline, courtesy a Josh Johnson’s goal in the 87th minute at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima. But Connection needed a golden goal from left-back Jose Luis Seabra to overcome a tough North East Stars outfit at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. North East Stars held a 2-1 lead from the first leg but Connection forced sudden-death after levelling the aggregate score at 3-3, before Seabra’s left-footed strike, from a Gefferson Goulart free-kick in the 93rd minute, decided the outcome. Connection bombarded the North East defence with a series of attacks in the opening 45 minutes, but Earl Jean was repeatedly spotted in offside positions by referee assistant Merere Gonsalves.

Jean saw his 18th minute header, from a Ronaldo Viana centre, held by veteran goalkeeper Trevor Nottingham; Goulart watched in agony as his volley, from a Lyndon Andrews’ pass, was cleared off the line by defender Troy Richards and a right-footed blast by Andrews flew past Nottingham’s goal by mere centimetres. Viana found the back of the net six minutes into the second half. After a goalbound Goulart found Jean on the edge of the penalty box and, with the defence collapsing on him, found an unmarked Viana who slammed home from close range. North East Stars, who employed a defensive strategy for most of the match, went ahead 3-2 on aggregate in the 78th. On a give-and-go between the Guyanese duo, striker Randolph Jerome and Kayode McKinnon, wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of countryman Charles Pollard, Jerome sped past defender Rawle Fletcher and slotted past the onrushing goalie Alejandro Figueroa.

Committing players forward for the equaliser (on aggregate) substitute Kerwyn “Hardest” Jemmott, whose foul in the fourth minute of stoppage time resulted in a freekick, rose to head Goulart’s chip past Nottingham. Jemmott proved to be a thorn in the Stars defence and, again on a run down the left flank, was brought down by right-back Glenton Wolfe in the third minute of sudden death injury time. With the defenders arguing over their positions, Goulart found an unmarked Seabra who calmly tapped home from 15 metres out.