The National Under-20 team will battle with the Defence Force for the 2008 bmobile National Super League Knockout title tomorrow at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya from 7 p.m. after both teams edged into the final on Sunday.
For the T&T Under-20 squad, Marcus Joseph, last year's standout for Vessigny Government Secondary, hit the back of the net in the 70th minute, and his goal turned out to be the lone item of the match. Defence Force also had a one-goal victory in their match-up, despite Keston Jordan's 90th minute effort for Harlem.
Defence Force crippled Harlem's title defence aspirations in a matter of three minutes, beating their opponents' defence in the 25th minute through Owen Mathews, then again through Julius Balondemu in the 27th.
Sterling O'Brien added another in the first minute after the break, to cancel the strike of Lorenzo King, who pulled one back for Harlem in the 42nd. Jordan's goal then was of mere statistical value, with the match already beyond Harlem.
U-20s, Defence Force in final.
By: Joel Bailey (Newsday).
Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 football team and Defence Force will contest the final of the bmobile National Super League knockout tournament tomorrow at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.
In Sunday’s semi-final double-header at the aforementioned venue, the national Under-20s edged league leaders WASA 1-0 while Defence Force eliminated 2007 knockout champs Harlem Strikers 3-2.
Marcus Joseph’s 70th minute freekick was enough for the Zoran Vranes-coached youths to progress to the final, at the expense of WASA, who squandered countless goal-scoring opportunities throughout the game.
The Defence Force-Harlem encounter, involving former national standouts as coaches (Ross Russell for D/Force and Ansil Elcock for Harlem) started in a frenzy, with Harlem’s striker Lorenzo King getting a pass from midfielder Keston Jordan but hitting the post in the 12th.
And Harlem’s goalkeeper Kerwyn Beckles did well to thwart a close range strike from midfielder Sterling O’Brian in the 18th.
Two other moments shortly afterwards resulted in the ball hitting the post by Harlem players.
In the 22nd, an in-swinging freekick on the left flank by captain Randy Ramcharan crashed off the uprights, with goalie Keston Guy holding the rebound; two minutes later, Harlem’s defender Saleem Ali diverted a pass from Defence Force’s Kevin Williams against the post.
A minute later, Defence Force broke the deadlock, as striker Owen Matthews drilled a Williams’ cross past Beckles’ left hand.
Two minutes later, Defence Force’s captain and forward Julius Balondemu doubled his team’s lead as he collected a long ball from defender Rodphin Harris and comfortably placed his right-footed lob over the advancing Beckles.
A nice move involving Randy Harris and Ramcharan resulted in a ball for King who drove home from close range in the 42nd, but 25 seconds into the second half, O’Brian restored Defence Force’s two-goal lead with a long-range right-footer.
Harlem were unable to penetrate the Defence Force back-line until they got a late consolation in stoppage time courtesy a penalty from Jordan, after King was bundled over by Rodphin Harris.