Caledonia AIA of Morvant-Laventille on Wednesday qualified for its second consecutive CONCACAF Champions’ League after wrapping up a two-match play-off against Jamaican club Portmore United with a 3:2 aggregate score.
On Monday, Caledonia defeated Portmore 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the First Leg with striker Jamal Gay netting the winner in the 27thminute.
And after hard-fought a 2-2 draw in the Second Leg on Wednesday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Caledonia joined TT Pro League compatriot DIRECTV W Connection and Haitian club Valencia SC as the Caribbean representatives in the 2013-2014 CCL which begins in July.
“I think it’s a big moment for the community of Morvant-Laventille and Trinidad and Tobago,” said Caledonia AIA Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz. “…because we get to showcase on a bigger stage against North American teams … against Central American teams, and teams (from) Mexico.
“I think it’s an important moment for us to get the opportunity to prepare for higher level opponents, even as administrators and technical people to move that step up.”
He added, “The fact that W Connection and Caledonia qualified, it shows some level of consistency, not just by these two teams, but by the (TT Pro) League. There is a lot of criticism to the League but there must be something that we are doing right to come out of the Caribbean, two seasons consecutively.”
Caledonia, who won the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship last season, recently wrapped up its domestic Digicel Pro League championship with a creditable second position finish, and also retained the First Citizens Cup and FA Trophy this season.
Last season the Caledonia AIA football club debuted in the CCL and was potted with MLS outfit Seattle Sounders and Honduran club CD Marathon in Group 4. Caledonia finished at the bottom with just one point behind Marathon (4 points) while Sounders ran away group leaders with 12 points.
“Last time we didn’t have time to prepare because of the way the tournament was structured,” explained Shabaaz, who has been joint-head coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Senior Team since December and is also in the process of preparing the Warriors for summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“But on this occasion we have seven weeks to prepare. (Our) guys are going to get three weeks off because they’ve had a long season since last year. And now we are looking at a seven-week preparation period.
It’s a lot like preparing the national team because we are going to meet the best club teams in the Concacaf region, and seven weeks will give us enough time to raise the level. Of course get one or two new players in, if the (finances) permit it, and get good fitness.”
The draw for the 2013-2014 CCL is scheduled for June 3, which gives Caledonia a bit of time to celebrate a rewarding and adventurous season.
Caledonia opened the scoring in just the 13th minute on Wednesday when winger Nathan Lewis capitalized on a slip-up by goalkeeper Kemar Foster.
Lewis had a burst towards the area, but a touch too heavy saw the ball ran away. Then what seemed a simple take for Foster just inside the 18-yard area was spilled by the Portmore goalie and Lewis was quick to respond hitting through Foster and defender Adrian Reid to find the back of the net.
And three minutes later, striker Jamal Gay stuck wide of Foster’s far post as Caledonia looked in control.
But Portmore with two changes from Monday’s starting line-up—forward Andrew Lewis and midfielder Stephen Williams in place of Bryan Bayliss and Cleon Price—were not about to give up.
In the 31st minute a dangerous Williams’ cross from the left was spilled by Caledonia goalie Glenroy Samuel, but defender Kareem Joseph was sharp in clearing the ball to safety.
Caledonia had an opening two minutes later from an Andre Toussaint corner, but midfielder Akim Armstrong headed directly at Foster who made an easy gather.
But after dominating the first period, the Caledonia players were just a shadow of themselves in the second period—similar to their 1-0 performance in the First Leg.
“I think tired legs after a long season,” was the diagnosis of Shabaaz. “… and I think guys wanting it to finish [the game] before it’s done. It forced us to go to the bench and a lot of scary moments in the dying stages of the game. But this will always be when you have tired legs coming from a long season and I think it took its toll on us today (Wednesday).
“But if we had scored our chances earlier in the game, we may have made it a lot easier.
“But still we had some hard work. People like Jamal Gay showing good work ethic and quality, and also Densill Theobald. So all in all, while at times it was scary, I thought we had enough chances to win the game comfortably.”
Just three minutes into the second period, Williams had a powerful crack at goal from distance, which flashed just high of Glenroy Samuel’s crossbar but more importantly sending a warning to Caledonia.
Then in the 55th minute Caledonia attacker Andre Tousssaint had a great opportunity to make it an uphill challenge for Portmore, but instead he struck his effort directly at Foster from the centre of the area.
It was from a cross by Gay on the left that slipped past two Portmore defenders to find Toussaint with the goalkeeper at his mercy.
End to end the action flowed. Trevol Smith forcing a low save out of Samuel with his strike from distance in the 58th minute.
Samuel was later beaten in the 61st minute as Portmore leveled the scores 1-1.
A solo run by Williams bursting past a handful of Caledonia players, ended with the midfielder slipping a strike past Samuel and into the net.
Caledonia’s advantage was restored by the 68th minute for a 2-1 score when midfielder Keyon Edwards—only three minutes on the pitch after replacing Toussaint—smashed a strike past Foster.
Then the Jamaicans were back in the game, 2-2, when Andrew Vanzie unleashed a low strike from distance to fit the ball just inside the upright of Samuel’s goal in a play which started near the corner flag following a giveaway by Lewis.
Portmore’s Foster preserved the 2-2 score-line with saves in the 77th and 80th minute. First the goalie superbly palmed away a glancing header by Nuru Abdallah Muhammad from a Theobald freekick, and then Foster tamed substitute Vurlon Mills’ effort.
Then six minutes from time, Portmore goalscorer Williams thought he won his side a penalty when he went down inside the area, suggesting to Cuban referee Marco Brea Despaigne that he was hacked down by goalkeeper Samuel.
But to Williams’ frustrations, Despaigne who raced into the area, choked on the whistle.
“(Portmore) showed that Jamaican football has evolved,” said Shabazz. “Twenty years ago Jamaica was kick and look, and just aggression. Now you can see them putting passes together.
I think if this was a team playing in the TT Pro League, as (Caledonia coach) Jerry Moe said, they would be one, two, three or four. So it’s a good quality team. They kept the ball well … they have good strength … good fitness and I think it was never going to be an easy task for us although we were playing the two games at home.”
The Caledonia Technical Director further explained that it was Portmore’s decision to play both legs in Trinidad to reduce costs.
“They(Portmore) made the offer, so that we had to pay the accommodation, meals and internal transport. It cost us cheaper but it also cost them cheaper as well. So it was a win-win situation for the both groups. But we still have the bills to pay, so we are hoping that sponsors will come forward.
We may have to go and wash the dishes in Cascadia Hotel to pay the bills, but generally we were happy that it was done like that. I think we treated (Portmore) well. Although we were very combative on the field of play, we developed a good relationship, so much, that a couple of their players have shown interest in coming over to play with us.”
Shabazz admitted that playing both legs of the play-off in Trinidad served as an advantage to Caledonia.
“I think it was a huge advantage for us,” he shared. “…because of the timing at the end of the season. I think we were better prepared playing at home. I think (a) game in Jamaica [would have been] very difficult. I think even from a refereeing standpoint, at home you tend to get the 50/50 calls. The crowd in Jamaica is a very participative and aggressive crowd. ...if there is a hard way and an easy way, you do it the easy way. And I was happy for the easy way this time,” ended Shabazz.
CONCACAF Champions’ League qualifying Second Leg Play-Off
Caledonia AIA 2—2 Portmore United
Nathan Lewis 13’, Keyon Edwards 68’ ; Stephen Williams 61’, Andrew Vanzie 74’
Teams
Caledonia AIA—Glenroy Samuel, Stephan David (capt.) Aubrey David, Nuru Abdullah Muhammad (Yellow Card), Colin Nelson, Kareem Joseph, Andre Toussaint (Keyon Edwards 65th), Akim Armstrong (Vurlon Mills 80th), Densill Theobald, Jamal Gay, Nathan Lewis.
Unused substitutes—Shemel Louison, Abdallah Phillips, Nical Stephens, Akeem Thomas, Miguel Alejandro Romeo 79th).
Coach—Jamaal Shabazz.
Portmore United—Kemar Foster, Adrian Reid (capt.), Rosario Harriot, Upston Edwards, Andre Lewis (Bryan Bayliss 70th), Andrew Vanzie (Yellow Card), Stephen Williams (Yellow Card), Trevol Smith, Paul Wilson (Cleon Price 78th), Ewan Grandison, Sue Lae Mc Calla (Ryan Willington 85th).
Unused Substitutes—Carlloyd Walters, Rickcardo Harriot, Damion Minns, Adoah Nickle.
Coach—Clive Marshall.
Match Officials
Referee— Marco Brea Despaigne (Cuba) .
Assistant Referee 1— Graeme Brown (St. Kitts & Nevis).
Assistant Referee 2— Ike Innis (St. Kitts & Nevis).
Fourth Official—Leon Clarke (St. Lucia).