Central FC (pictured) celebrates after defeating DirecTV W Connection in the final of the CFU Club Championship on May 24, 2015, in Couva, Trinidad & Tobago. (Photo: Allan Crane)
COUVA, Trinidad & Tobago – Central FC won its first-ever Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship title, defeating nine-man DirecTV W Connection 2-1 in an all-Trinidadian final on Sunday at Ato Boldon Stadium.
Both sides previously earned places in the 2015/16 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League by prevailing in CFU semifinal encounters two days earlier.
The victory underscored the meteoric rise of Central FC, founded only three years ago. It was the second major honor in a matter of weeks for the Sharks, who also captured the 2014/15 TT Pro League crown, outdoing runner-up W Connection by six points in the final table.
In this international edition of the “Couva derby,” Central FC would come out on top again, taking a 2-0 lead before the 70th minute and managing to hold on despite having a two-man advantage for most of the second half.
Under rainy conditions, Jean-Luc Rochford opened the scoring in the 27th minute. The 24-year-old reacted quickly to a loose ball, slotting in from close range after goalkeeper Julani Archibald could not hold on to a shot by Jason Marcano.
Shahdon Winchester’s attempt at an equalizer from the left side of the box looked goal bound in the 35th minute, but goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams got a fingertip to the curling ball at full stretch for a crucial save.
After the break, Central’s Nathaniel Garcia became the focus of some unwanted W Connection attention. The tricky left-sided midfielder was brought down twice during a five-minute stretch, resulting in the dismissal of two Savonetta Boys.
Maurice Ford was shown a second caution and Gerrald Williams was issued a straight red in the 61st and 66th minutes, respectively, for committing hard fouls against the 22-year-old.
Three minutes following Williams’ sending off, the Sharks doubled their lead as the influential Marcano, positioned on the right, found Jamal Jack streaking down the middle of the field with a pass to the edge of the box. Jack took the feed on the bounce and chipped over Archibald for a delightfully crafted strike.
From that point on, though, W Connection attacked with urgency and efficiency, making life difficult for the presumptive champion.
In the 80th minute, a right-sided free kick by Hashim Arcia skidded to the left post, where Jerrel Britto and Christian Viveros were waiting unmarked. Viveros was the one to make the attempt, but missed wide from very close range.
A minute later, Arcia connected with Britto, only for Williams to thwart the subsequent effort.
With six minutes left in normal time, Britto provided service with a left-sided cross for Arcia, whose header may have clipped the top of the crossbar before going out of bounds.
The high levels pressure and energy exerted by W Connection paid off in the first minute of stoppage time, when Neil Benjamin capitalized on a defensive error to drill a shot into the net from 12-yards out.
