FOUR?Premiership teams will contest the semi-finals of the 2014 KFC Champions Cup.
DirecTV Paradise became the first to qualify, by defeating a spirited Kick Start F.C. 3-2 last Saturday night at the Emmerton playing field while the other three matches were decided on Sunday night at the National Stadium in front of a modest crowd.
Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame survived a couple scares, to edge Premiership-bound University of the West Indies 1-0, courtesy a 60th minute penalty kick from Zico Edmee.
The penalty was awarded after captain and custodian Taizeo Riley brought down Hadan Holligan in the area, which gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot and give Riley marching orders.
Weymouth Wales displayed their dominance against Banks Division One representatives Empire with an impressive 4-0 win while in the all Premiership clash, leaders Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP) mauled Mackeson Brittons Hill 5-0.
Wales opened the scoring in the 24th minute when a free-kick from the left by Carl Jospeh caused panic in the Empire area and Lennie Regis converted from close range.
Joseph then gave Wales a 2-0 lead in the 44th minute, thanks to miscommunication in the Empire defence. Joseph was played into the area one versus one against the goalkeeper and he confidently slammed home from approximately 12 yards.
A minute later, the Carrington Village boys got their third goal. A fine exchange of passes between Joseph and Kemar Headley unlocked the leaky Empire defence and with only the goalkeeper to beat, Headley finished with aplomb.
Empire’s woes were compounded when centre back Randy Brewster was red-carded by referee Gillian Martindale for apparently tripping Jadai Clarke inside the penalty area. The resulting spot kick, taken by Joseph, was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Dwayne Nurse.
Substitute Tristan “Fishy” Parris put the final nail in Empire’s coffin with a fine finish from just inside the area in the 80th minute.
Empire’s Kimar Griffith was expelled for his second offence in the 90th minute but at this time his team had already waved the white flag.
BDFSP are making a strong case to be double crown champions this year and they sent a strong message to upcoming opponents by destroying Brittons Hill, who never turned up to the party.
By the end of a scoreless first half, there were murmurs around the Stadium of potential extra time after both teams seemed contented to just heave the ball high and far away from their own goal.
The introduction of the pacy Shamar Edwards on the right hand side changed the entire game. His speed and strength caused issues for the opposing wingbacks each time the BDFSP attacked.
It was no surprise when Edwards set up BDFSP’s opening goal in the 52nd minute, playing a teasing ball to the back post, which Mario Harte precisely headed the ball between the body of custodian Rashad Ince and the post.
Harte was at it again six minutes later, in almost similar fashion. A miscued clearance by an Empire defender was collected by Edwards and he whipped in another accurate cross for Harte to finish with relative ease and composure.
BDFSP were quite comfortable and sat deep on their two-goal margin, which allowed Brittons Hill to apply some pressure for a ten-minute period.
However, they never took advantage of their opportunities and because they piled numbers forward, this left them vulnerable to the counter-attack which BDFSP gracefully accepted to score their third goal in the 83rd minute.
Romario Harewood chased down a loose ball, dribbled by Ince and in an attempt to curl the ball into the far corner, the ball found Shaquille Stewart running in at the back post to nod the ball into the net from about five yards out.
Stewart got his second in the 90th minute, in spectacular fashion. A long kick by the BDFSP goalkeeper was received by Stewart with an immaculate first touch and as the ball bounced up quite favourably for him, he side-volleyed the ball from 25 yards, giving Ince absolutely no chance.
Harewood completed the goal feast with another fine finish in the dying minutes of injury time.
