Naparima College proved themselves schools football royalty yesterday with a comeback fit for kings as they overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Carapichaima 5-2 in the InterCol semifinals.
Fans at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva witnessed a second half resurgence from "Naps" that produced four goals as the South champions strode home easily after their fate hung in the balance at half-time, as they trailed 2-1.
That they even got back into the match was thanks chiefly to the lively Adan Noel on the right wing, and hard-working captain Anthony Parris, who struck in first half stoppage to halve "Caps'" lead. Noel scored two free kicks and provided another for substitute Kareem Garcia, while Akeem Julien scored the other.
If it were a boxing match, Naparima might have been knocked out cold inside the first 35 minutes, from a sharp jab in the sixth minute by Isaiah Rivers, and a right cross from captain Anton Gill in the 34th.
Naps had their traditional bright start with their nice passing game, settling in early. But Carapichaima also found their feet quickly and made their opponents pay right away. Gill switched the play from left to right on a counter attack, and Rivers collected in the penalty area, gave himself some room, and spanked his left-footer into Keinol Paul's left post.
That provided Carapichaima with the confidence they needed, as they tried to possess the ball and play it around the park, and for most of the first half, they did so better than Naparima.
Caps were in full control of the match in the 34th thanks to their captain consistent, Gill. Midfielder Shaquille Holder started the play on the right and cut into the middle of the park, dribbling two defenders and playing his captain through. Gill finished with a neat close range tap-in.
Caps were cruising then, but the real drama would start in first half stoppage. Naps hit back with what turned out to be a significant body blow. Skipper Anthony Parris took advantage of poor Carapichaima defending to flick home into goalie D'Jevon Archibald's far post from an acute angle on the left.
That shift in momentum remained after the interval, Naparima equalising in the 47th minute. That was the hit from which Carapichaima could not recover.
Parris brought the ball from the right flank and forced a good right-handed block from Archibald. He only succeeded, though, in parrying the ball to a lurking Julien on the left of the penalty area, who finished with glee.
Naps kept up the pressure, and twice Carapichaima defenders had to clear from close range, one from a Noel cross, and the other from a shot by substitute Kareem Garcia.
The shot, though, that put Carapichiama down was a beauty of a free kick from Noel in the 76th minute, a right-footer from 22 metres that hung in the air for a while before the spin took it down and into the near post, to Archibald's right.
A staggering Carapichaima tried to pick themselves up late in the match, until a quick one-two Naps combination ended the contest for good.
Noel was involved in both plays. First, he fed Garcia a cross from the right that gave him the simplest of goals. Then, Noel himself buried another free kick, this time from 19 metres down the centre of the pitch.
Caps' 2010 season ended right then and there, but for Naparima their dream of a record ten national titles remains alive. They will face the winners of today's semifinal between Signal Hill Secondary and Arima North Secondary, at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima. That encounter kicks off at four p.m.
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