Goalkeeper Terrence Ramsaroop deserves showers of blessing from his mates at Presentation College after his heroic display yesterday. The keeper's quick saves turned the tables on Naps and made his team victorious with a 5-4 win over Naparima College in the Secondary Schools Football League's 2009 Coca Cola South Intercol final.
In a repeat of last year's final, which was played at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, the game went down to penalty kicks after a 1-1 score line at the end of regulation time. A tactical decision by Pres coach Shaun Cooper to substitute goalkeeper Wesley Douglas with less than three minutes left and replace him with Ramsaroop, may have made the difference.
Ramsaroop saved the third kick, taken by Adisa Cumberbatch to settle the match. This marked the second time this season that Presentation has dethroned Naps, after taking the zonal league title.
The match started at a furious pace as both teams went after the opening goal. Against the run of play, Pres took the lead when Tristan Khan ran into the box and was adjudged brought down, resulting in a penalty. Rodney Young made no mistake with his 16th minute strike.
The defending champs had their share of opportunities to go ahead. However none of the players, including national senior team selected Shahdon Winchester, who had two chances, was able to find the net.
At the end of the first period the score line was unchanged, but on the resumption Naps turned on the pressure with a number of attacks. Constant runs at the Presentation's defence finally paid off in the 54th minute when Winchester was brought down in the box and a penalty was awarded. Dwayne Edwards then successfully took the kick to make it 1-1, which brought some life into the Naps rhythm section.
The six-time zonal league champs continued to torment the Presentation defence, but were unable to take the top spot despite creating a number of scoring opportunities.
Result:
PRESENTATION 1 (Rodney Young (Pen) 16th) vs NAPARIMA 1 (Dwayne Edwards (Pen) 54th). Pres won 5-4 on penalty kicks.
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