The trio of Jamal Charles, substitute Malik St Prix and Hughtun Hector were all on target as five-time winners DirecTV W Connection whipped a stubborn Inter Moengotapoe of Suriname 3-1 to finish top of Group One of the preliminary round of the 2016 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship and secure a spot in next month's semifinal in the process on Sunday night.
Going into the virtual group decider at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, both W Connection, which last lifted the CFU club crown in 2013 and was runner-up last year to fellow T&T club, Central FC, and Inter Moengotapoe had six points each from two matches, however the T&T club had a better goal-difference and only needed a draw to advance.
However, it was the visitors who started quickly and had the Daneil Cyrus-marshalled back-line under some early pressure before W Connection took the lead slightly against the run of play through in-form Grenadian striker, Jamal Charles, who sided footed the ball past goal Orbrendo Huiswoud on his near post from a pin-point left sided cross by Kurt Frederick, for his fourth goal of the qualifiers.
Six minutes later, Emilio Limon tried to respond for Moengotapoe, however his strike on the run after getting past Frederick was pushed overbear by W Connection goalkeeper Julani Archibald on his near post to preserve his team's lead.
Despite the occasional threat from Moengotapoe, W Connection was now in full control of the contest while Moengotapoe had to chase the match as it now needed two goals for victory and the visitors were help out a bit when influential W Connection midfielder Jomal Williams was forced off in the 24th minute due to a groin injury and replaced by Shahdon Winchester.
Winchester was red-carded in his team's 4-2 opening tournament win over Dominican Republic's Atlantico FC for what was initially thought to be a two-match suspension, but returned after missing Friday's 5-1 defeat of Club Sportif Moulien of Guadeloupe while Moengotapoe was without former W Connection forward Stefano Rijssel, who was suspended on cards accumulation.
Moengotapoe then had a chance to level the match from the penalty-spot in the 77th minute when Guyanese referee Sherwin Johnson ruled a handball against the “Savonetta Boys”’ captain Alvin Jones, however Kittian Archibald mad a brilliant save, diving to his left to keep out Patrick Jimmy's attempt.
Four minutes later, 20-year-old St. Prix, who replaced Andre Toussaint, a minute earlier, made Moengotapoe pay for its missed chance when he was the lucky beneficiary of a long range shot from Frederick that fell to his feet, before he fired past Huiswoud from close range to put the match beyond doubt.
The best goal of the night, and perhaps the qualifying series was still to come as former Vietnam-based national midfielder found himself with acres of space at the top of the 18-yard-box before he unleashed a right footed rocket which flew through crowd of players and into the top right hand corner of the goal with Huiswoud, stranded on his goal line.
With the seconds ticking away in stoppage-time, Moengotapoe substitute Kareem Kwasie latched onto a head-on by a teammate before beating goalkeeper Archibald from close up to get his team a consolation item.
The match almost ended on a sour net when nippy W Connection forward Dimitrie Apai was kicked from behind by Emilio Limon, which caused a minor-fracas, among players before the latter was shown only a yellow-card.
With the win, the Stuart Charles-Fevrier-coached W Connection ended with maximum nine points from its three matches, three more than Moengotapoe while Atlantico FC was third with three points, after a 4-0 blanking of Club Sportif Moulien, which ended with nine men in Sunday's first match at Couva.
W Connection now awaits the winner of the Group Four preliminary round series involving Haiti’s America FC, Jamaica’s Arnett Gardens FC, Suriname’s SV Notch and hosts Club Atletico Pantoja who will contest the group in Dominican Republic from March 2-6.
Defending champions Central FC will travel to Jamaica to compete in Group Three from March 9-13 against host Montego Bay United and Cayman Islands' Scholars International SC. The winners will meet Group Two winners Don Bosco FC of Haiti in the semi-final round on April 29. The semi-final round winners will advance into the final on May 1.
Results & standings
CFU Club Championship Group One results:
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva:
Sunday February 28:
Atlantico FC 4 (Leinner Perez 17th, 53rd, Cristian Casseres 59th, Wuiswell Isea 62nd) vs CS Moulien 0
W Connection 3 (Jamal Charles10th, Malik St Prix 81st, Hughtun Hector 90st) vs Inter Moengotapoe 1 (Kareem Kwasie 90’+2)
Final CFU Club Championship Group One standings:
Teams P W D L F A Pts
W Connection 3 3 0 0 12 4 9
Inter Moengotapoe 3 2 0 1 5 5 6
Atlantico 3 1 0 2 6 5 3
Sportif Moulien 3 0 0 3 3 12 0