Digicel T&T Pro League champions, Defence Force missed out on qualification for the Concacaf Champions League after going under to Guyana Super League champions, Alpha United 4-2 on penalty-kicks after a 1-1 draw in their third place Caribbean Football Union Club Championship match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Friday night.
Having lost their respective semifinal matches on Wednesday at the same venue, both Defence Force, beaten on penalty kicks by Haiti’s Tempete 4-2, and Alpha United, 3-1 losers to Puerto Rico Islanders in extra-time, needed a win to secure the third and final CFU Champions League qualifier spot.
After a goalless first 45 minutes, former Caledonia AIA striker Dwight Peters fired Alpha United into the lead in the 52nd minute but within six minutes, Defence Force, CFU Club champions in 1985 and 1987 got on level terms thanks to striker, Richard “Shaka” Roy.
Despite a few openings at both ends of the field during the remainder of regulation-time both teams failed to find the winner, while Defence Force, Concacaf champions in 1987 suffered a set-back ahead of extra-time with midfielder Kurt Williams picking up a second yellow card to reduce his team to ten men on the stroke of full time.
However, Alpha United failed to make its man advantage count during the 30-minutes of extra-time, but in the penalty kicks shoot-out the Guyanese club showed better composure and prevailed 4-2 to join CFU Club winners, Islanders and runner-up in the Concacaf Champions League.
The Isanders won the title for the third straight with a 3-1 extra-time triumph over Tempete thanks to a pair of goals in extra-time from former W Connection striker, Jonathan Fana of Dominican Republic.
John Needham put Islanders ahead in the 34th minute but six minutes later his teammate and T&T defender Kevon Villaroel was issued a straight red card and within two minutes Herold Junior Charles got the equaliser for Tempete.
Tempete was also also reduced to ten men in the 68th minute when goalkeeper Guerry Romondt was shown a red card. There was no further goals in regulation time, which forced the match into extra time where Fana netted in the 100th and 113th minute to secure a third straight crown for the Islanders.
Teams
Defence Force: - Kevin Graham, Corey Rivers, Rodell Elcock, Raul Fletcher, Michael Edwards (Balindameau Julius 85th), Anton Joseph, Devin Jordan (Keston Williams 64th - Yellow 114), Kerry Joseph (Yellow 77), Sean Narcis (Kurt Williams 68th - Yellow 77, Red 90), Jerwyn Balthazar, Richard Roy.
Alpha United: - Richard Reynolds, Howard Lowe, Kris Camacho, Adrian Mitchell, Philbert Moffatt, Dwayne Jacobs, Kirk Duckworth, Nigel Codrington, Travis Grant (Konata Mannings 100th - Yellow 105), Dwight Peters (Warren Gilkes 82nd), Devon Millington (Anthony Abrams 77th).
Referee: - Caswell Cambridge (SVG).