Forwards Keyon Edwards and Kevon Woodley were both on target in Tuesday night’s first clash of a Digicel Pro Bowl quarterfinal double header at the Marvin Lee Stadium as Caledonia AIA registered a 2-0 shutout of Ma Pau to advance into the semi-final round.
The Jamaal Shabazz coached side registered a goal on either side of the half with Edwards in the 39th minute and substitute Woodley in the 74th minute to set up a semi-final meeting with defending champions Joe Public from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.
Caledonia entered the match on a high following Saturday’s 5-0 CFU Club Champions Cup second leg hammering over St. Kitts/Nevis side Newtown United at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to advance into the Second Round with a 6-0 aggregate win.
Edwards broke the deadlock against Ma Pau following an unsettled start when midfielder Akim Armstorng made a bust through two defenders inside the area before returning a pass to Edwards who made no mistake blasting past goalkeeper Clayton Ince.
The opening item was one of two highlights of the first half, with the other being a 23rd minute free-kick from the edge of the area by Caledonia’s Jean-Luc Rochford which was high overbar after Coneal Thomas’ foul on Walter Moore.
In the second period Ma Pau wingback Nigel Daniel spilled wide from the left in the 57th minute and three minutes later substitute defender Seon Power—who replaced Cyd Gray following the break—had a tame header just wide at the far post off a Leslie Fitzpatrick freekick from the right.
Caledonia coach Jamaal Shabazz then sacrificed midfielder Rochford with the legs of forward Kevon Woodley in search of another goal and got what he asked.
Woodley in only his second match for Caledonia, made it two in two, ending his smart run through the Ma Pau defence with a goal when he met wingback Kareem Joseph’s pass inside the six yard area with a powerful first time shot beating goalkeeper Ince for the 2-0 victory.
Four minutes before his item in the 74th minute, Woodley was denied by Ince when he latched onto a long ball forward and under challenge by a Ma Pau defender he unleashed a leftfooted volley was easily dealt with.
However in the end Woodley and Caledonia applauded themselves into the semi-final round against Joe Public. Joe Public secured its semi-final spot after whipping Police FC 3-0 last Friday at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
In Tuesday’s second quarterfinal clash Defence Force came from behind to steal a 2-1 victory over San Juan Jabloteh and advance into the semi-final round against W Connection. Connection defeated North East Stars 2-0 in their quarterfinal clash last Friday.
Results
Ma Pau SC 0—2 Caledonia AIA
Keyon Edwards 39’, Kevon Woodley 74’
Teams
Ma Pau SC—Clayton Ince, Coneal Thomas (capt.), Nigel Daniel, Rennie Britto, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Shandel Samuel (Yellow), Lyndon Andrews, Trevin Caesar (Shane Calderon 57th), Dwane James (Kerry Noray 75th), Cyd Gray (Seon Power 46th), Aquil Selby.
Coach—Michael McComie.
Caledonia AIA—Kevin Graham, Stephan David (capt.), Nuru Abdallah Muhammed, Trayon Bobb (Abdallah Phillip 77th), Kareem Joseph, Jean-Luc Rochford (Yellow) (Kevon Woodley 66th), Walter Moore, Akim Armstrong (Yellow) (Marcus Ambrose 85th), Daneil Cyrus, Densill Theobald, Keyon Edwards.
Coach—Jamaal Shabazz.
Army charge back to beat Jabloteh
Defence Force charged into the semi-final round of the Digicel Pro Bowl with a 2-1 come from behind win over San Juan Jabloteh in Tuesday's second quarterfinal clash at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
Jabloteh started strong and took the lead when Jason Marcano headed past goalkeeper Kevin Graham in the 33rd minute off Kennedy Hinkson’s cross from the right.
But second half goals by Jerwyn Balthazar and Richard Roy snatched the 2-1 victory for the Ross Russell coached Soldiers and placed them into Friday's semi-final round against W Connection from 8pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Eleven minutes into the match Jabloteh’s Ataullah Guerra spilled wide in an attempt to curl his effort past Graham with the Terry Fenwick coached side enjoying good possession in the opening moments.
Defence Force responded with an effort by Richard Roy in the 13th minute which was pushed onto the upright by goalkeeper Cleon John before defender Karlon Murray came to the rescue to tap it off the line.
Defence Force midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar then spilled over bar when he slid into the area in the 20th minute to meet a powerful low cross by Jahvon Neptune who disposed Marcano of the ball before making his run on the right.
But in the 33rd minute Jabloteh stole the advantage when Marcano flung himself in to meet Hinkson’s cross from the right, heading the ball over a fully stretched Graham for a 1-0 score.
Seconds later after a neat string of passes, Jabloteh’s Hector Sam disappointingly directed his blast into the arms of Graham in what should have cushioned the San Juan club.
Three minutes from the half Jabloteh goalie John brilliantly denied Corey Rivers’ set-piece blast from 23 yards out.
Defence Force then leveled the scores 1-1 seven minutes inside the second period when Balthazar headed past John off Rivers left-side corner.
John then rescued his side in the 70th minute blanking Michael Edwards from close range as the Defence Force exposed some lose defending by Jabloteh.
But two minutes later Richard Roy was gifted all the time and space to blast a shot into John’s far netting to push the Soldiers into the lead 2-1.
Jabloteh responded with a couple changes, replacing forward Hector Sam with defender Jamal Jack and defender Joel Russell with an inexperienced Marvin Springer.
U-16 midfielder Nicholas Castellanos was also thrown into the mix making his debut replacing Elijah Manners.
Results
Defence Force 2—1 San Juan Jabloteh
Jerwyn Balthazar 52’, Richard Roy 72’ ; Jason Marcano 33’
Teams
Defence Force—Kevin Graham, Corey Rivers (capt.), Devin Jordan, Michael Edwards (Kerry Joseph 73rd), Kurt Williams, Rondell Elcock, Jerwyn Balthazar, Sean Narcis (Dexter Pacheco 90th) (Yellow), Javon Neptune, Richard Roy (Babandemo Julius 90th), Glynn Franklyn.
Coach—Ross Russell.
San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John, Hector Sam (Jamal Jack 72nd), Karlon Murray, Anton Hutchinson, Joel Russell (Marvin Springer 74th), Elijah Manners (Nicholas Castellanos 78th), Christan Thomas, Ataullah Guerra, Jason Marcano, Mikhil Awai, Kennedy Hinkson.
Coach—Terry Fenwick.
Full 2010-2011 Digicel Pro Bowl schedule Quarter Final Round
Friday 18 March
Marvin Lee Stadium
Joe Public 3—0 Police FC (Group A 1)
North East Stars 0—2 W Connection (Group B 1)
Tuesday 22 March
Marvin Lee Stadium
Ma Pau SC 0—2 Caledonia AIA (Group A 2)
Defence Force 2—1 San Juan Jabloteh (Group B 2)
Semi-Final Round
Friday 25 March
Hasely Crawford Stadium
Joe Public vs Caledonia AIA—6pm
W Connection vs Defence Force—8pm
Final
Friday 01 April
Group A winner vs Group B winner