ATHLETIC International Academy (AIA) and City FC just managed to seal their semifinal spots in the 2023/24 Next Level Consulting Ltd (NLCL) under-19 community cup on Saturday, when they got nail-biting quarterfinal wins at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
In the first game of the Malabar double-header against the South-based Point Fortin Youth Academy team, AIA needed the lottery of a penalty shootout to advance to the semifinals as they won 5-4 on kicks from the spot after a 3-3 tie in regulation time.
AIA held a 2-1 lead at the halfway stage, but Point Fortin surged ahead by a 3-2 margin just before the hour mark when Djibril Felix and Jeremiah Abraham scored within seven minutes. With Point Fortin seemingly headed toward the semifinals on March 10, AIA got a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time from Dalon Sankar.
AIA then completed the epic comeback as they came out on the winning side in a nine-goal sudden-death penalty shootout.
In the second game of the Malabar double-header, City FC also left it late as Fatima College student Caden Trestrail scored in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage-time to give his team a 2-1 triumph against Central Soccer World (CSW). The young Trestrail is no stranger to scoring late game-winners, as he sealed Fatima's first Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division title last October when he scored a header deep into second-half stoppage-time to earn his school a 2-1 comeback win against Naparima College.
After a goalless first half on the weekend, City FC opened the scoring through Luke Correia in the 68th minute, before Kelon Williams swiftly netted a 70th-minute equaliser for CSW.
As extra time loomed in Malabar, the diminutive Trestrail rose to the occasion to break CSW's hearts.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Sunday, two-time reigning champions Soccer Made Simple (SMS) stayed in the running to clinch a third NLCL trophy when they got a 2-0 win over Gasparillo Youths.
SMS did their best work in the latter stages of the contest, as Jonathan Emrith and star attacker Khaleem Prince scored in the 73rd and 78th minutes to give their team a quick one-two punch to seal a semifinal spot. In Sunday's other quarterfinal match, Tobago champions Ball Blasters Youth Academy continued the habit of the weekend's late goals when they scored three times in the last 15 minutes to get a 4-2 win over Made in La Brea - putting an end to the participation of all South teams in the tournament.
Made in La Brea led by a 2-1 margin after a 49th-minute goal from Jaheim Phillip. However, a flurry of late goals by Malik Wilson, Jaeden King and Kyle James, who completed a double, punched Ball Blasters' ticket through to the semis.
This Sunday, the Tobago outfit will aim to ruffle more feathers when they meet AIA in the first semi at the Manny Ramjohn venue from 1.30 pm. SMS will put their title defence on the line when they tackle City FC in the other semifinal from 3.30 pm.
The post AIA, City FC book NLCL semis spots with dramatic wins ap
