COOL IT FC will battle Wolfpack on Saturday for $60,000 in the final of the Sweet Sixteen Football League at the Ojoe Road Recreation Ground, Sangre Grande.
Cool It held off a valiant challenge from G Madrid in the semis on Thursday to prevail 2-0 and secure their spot in the championship match.
Wolfpack had a more comfortable passage, prevailing 4-1 over 2020 finalists Athletico in a game played over two days owing to a lighting issue.
Cool It manager Sherwin "Pigeon" Joseph told Newsday his team is ready for whatever Wolfpack has to offer.
"Wolfpack is a good team. The two teams almost similar. We have a better defensive back. They have a few good goalscorers but we have the defenders to hold them. I'm not afraid," he said.
Joseph was full of praise for his midfielder Che Benny who was on target in the first half against G Madrid. The 2022 Caribbean Games futsal MVP had his imprint all over the first half with some dangerous crosses from both flanks and a clinical finish in the box.
"He is ah monster. All over he go, he does show up. He is a a player that yuh can't give him ah half ah chance - he go punish yuh."
G Madrid would be ruing their missed chances against Cool It including two strikes against the upright and one that rebounded off the crossbar.
The latter could have given them an early lead as midfielder Keron James got on the end of a low cross near the six-yard box but his first-time shot was pushed onto the crossbar by Cool It goalie Manual Nurse.
One minute later, the ball was in the back of the G Madrid net. Benny, drifting into the box from right to left, on his favoured left foot, eluded a couple of defenders before tucking the ball into the far corner.
Benny should have had a goal and an assist after finding Dorian Robinson with a pinpoint cross from the right, but the forward headed wide.
Robinson was again in the action on the end of a long diagonal pass but his right footer flashed wide as the half ended.
G Madrid came out desperate to keep their season alive and had Cool It pegged into their half under sustained pressure. A long-distance strike from Ricardo Alleyne almost knotted the scores but the ball cannoned off the left post.
Cool It tried to release some pressure by bringing on Willis Plaza off the bench and he almost brought immediate reward with some nifty footwork and a low shot that was held by G Madrid goalie Aaron Ali.
There was nothing Ali could do a few minutes later to stop Robinson from bulging his net with a header from a left-sided attack.
Cool It sub Daniel David had two late chances to put the icing on the cake and make it 3-0 but could not convert.
The post Cool It, Wolfpack in Sweet 16 Football final appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
