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A goal on the hour mark by Trinidad and Tobago striker Devon Jorsling booked Caledonia AIA second successive Caribbean Football Union (CFU) spot tonight at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
Jorsling beat national teammate and T&TEC goalkeeper Marvin Phillip with a precise right footer to seal a deserved triumph for the “Eastern Stallions” in 2011/12 Digicel Pro League action. The result moved Caledonia past W Connection at the top of the standings.
St Ann’s Rangers defeated Connection 2-1 at the Ato Boldon Stadium yesterday. Former national midfielder Trent Noel grabbed the game winner at Couva in the 78th minute after Rangers teammate Dexter Alleyne nullified Hashim Arcia’s opener for Connection.
T&TEC would know the feeling of losing pole position. The League’s early pace setter now seems to be in free fall as they remain in fourth place after already crashing out of three cup competitions.
The “Electric Men” swapped a 4-2-3-1 formation yesterday and instead employed two strikers with a four-man diamond midfield led by attacker Andre Toussaint. Yet, it did not prevent a third consecutive match without coach Dexter Cyrus’ men registering a goal.
It was not the most fluent performance from Caledonia but there were more patient and expressive than their opponents and had three good sights at goal before Jorsling’s item.
National Olympic team striker Jamal Gay cleverly created space for himself in the 13th minute but just missed the far corner with a low drive while a Gay header was matched by a low diving save from Phillip early in the second half.
Another under-23 player, defender Nuru Mohammed, went closer still for Caledonia as his header off a left side corner kick beat Phillip but was cleared off the line by a retreating T&TEC defender.
T&TEC could not find an answer for Jorsling, though, as the former soldier’s strike took Caledonia on top of the Pro League standings.
Caledonia:
1.Ronson Williams; 12.Kareem Joseph, 3.Nuru Muhammad, 5.Aquil Selby, 4.Colin Nelson (11.Abdullah Phillips 58); 7.Stephan David (Capt), 9.Keyon Edwards; 25.Ataullah Guerra (18.Kedar Roderick 86), 23. Jamal Gay (10.Trevin Caesar 79), 15.Walter Moore; 26.Devon Jorsling.
Subs: 34.Kevin Graham, 24.Kemron Purcell, 19.Conrad Smith, 13.Trayon Bobb.
T&TEC:
30.Marvin Phillip; 27.Jayson Joseph, 4.Corneal Thomas, 17.Kern Peters, 55.Akeem Adams; 6.Romauld Aguilera (Capt); 2.Brenton De Leon (45.Marcus Joseph 71), 29.Andre Toussaint (13.Kevon Neaves 71), 23.Kelvin Modeste (18.Andrei Pacheco 56); 9.Sylvester Teesdale, 22.Kerlon Ferguson.
Subs: 1.Akini Adams, 3.Anthony Noriega, 8.Eustace Darius, 21.Jamal Ayres.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
