COOL IT FC held off a spirited challenge from D'Amarie Hill on Thursday to stay top of Group A in the Sweet Sixteen Football League at the Ojoe Road Recreation Ground, Sangre Grande.
The 3-2 victory was of keen interest to Boys Town who had earlier defeated Tamana 9-1 to stay in contention for a spot in the knockout rounds.
On an uneven playing surface, D'Amarie struck the first blow in the 14th minute through winger Carlon Nicholas who was left unmarked on the far post to head home a right-sided cross.
But D'Amarie's joy was short-lived as Cool It's Keron Cummings responded one minute later with a blistering free kick that went through the hands of the D'Amarie goalie.
Nicholas was proving a handful for the Cool It defence down the left flank with his pace and trickery, but it was Cool It who go the go-ahead goal in the 33rd through some individual brilliance.
Forward Dorian Robinson collected a long pass on the left and before his defender had time to settle, he drilled a low shot at the near post which caught the goalie napping.
[caption id="attachment_961878" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cool It FC after their win on Thursday in the Sweet Sixteen Football League. - Stephon Nicholas[/caption]
Cummings got his second of the match just before the half, racing toward goal from a diagonal pass before tucking the ball into the net after his first attempt was saved.
D'Amarie looked a defeated team heading into the break but they reduced the deficit almost immediately upon the resumption. Nicholas met a right-sided corner with a powerful header which rebounded off the cross bar to teammate Ricardo Bennett who stabbed it home to make it 3-2.
Cool It lost their composure a bit but goalkeeper Kyle Ferreira kept his focus with two crucial second-half saves to repel any threat until the final whistle,
On Friday, Athletico took care of Dream Team 2-0 in Group B action.
Dream Team almost had the perfect start when a defensive mistake resulted in Kern Diaz being sent clean through on goal, but his attempted chip went awry and failed to test the Athletico goalie.
Athletico skipper Jeron Jones had a header flash narrowly wide of the upright at the other end off a Sheldon Nesbit cross.
It was end-to-end action as right winger Akeem Dandrade's outside-of-the-foot pass set up Devonte Felix on goal but his tame shot was easily saved as the half ended goalless.
Athletico made it 1-0 in the 48th courtesy Amiel Weekes who tapped in a low cross in the six-yard box.
Needing to chase the game, Dream Team looked lost on the field in the second half.
Gerald Meloney put them out their misery in the 82nd with an emphatic finish after a pinpoint cross from the left. Meloney, ghosting in unmarked, with a side-foot volley from the penalty spot that gave the Dream Team goalie no chance.
On Saturday, Boys Town beat Futuristic 3-0 and Generation Next defeated Overcome 3-1.
The post Cool It, Athletico notch wins in Sweet 16 Football appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
