National duo Joevin Jones and Jerrel Britto scored two goals each as two-time winner and defending Toyota Classic champion, DirecTV W Connection, kicked off its title defence with a 5-0 thumping of Super League outfit Defence Force.
This was in the feature match of a double-header at the Mannie Ramjohm Stadium, Marabella on Friday night. Out-of-favour national midfielder Shahdon Winchester opened the scoring as early as the third minute for the "Savonetta Boys" while Jones in the 26th minute and Britto, five minutes later added one each for a 3-0 half-time lead.
Britto completed his double in the 63rd minute while Jones got his double a minute before full-time for W?Connection to complete a comfortable 5-0 victory and a last-eight encounter with Super League leader, WASA, who like West Side Super Starz and Stokely Vale pulled off shock wins.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, the "Water Boys" as WASA are known edged Pro League club St Ann's Rangers 2-1 thanks a 90th-minute winner from Glen Walker. Rangers took the lead four minutes before the half through Devon Modeste but in the second-half, WASA turned the match on its head, first through Terrence Smith with the leveller, in the 77th minute before Walker's last gasp winner.
At the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, Starz emerged 4-3 winners on penalty-kicks over Pro League debutants, Central FC after a 1-1 draw. American-born striker Ladule Losarah fired Central FC ahead in the 14th minute only for Troy Thompson to get Starz level two minutes later after which there were no further goals in regulation time, resulting in penalty-kicks where the Diego Martin-based club triumphed for a last-eight clash with Defence Force, 4-0 victors over 1976 Tobago Phoenix.
For the "Teteron Boys", Soca Warriors striker, Devorn Jorsling got a double, in the 39th and 54th minute at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago while Jerwyn "Bally" Balthazar (3rd) and captain Corey Rivers (31st) also netted. However, fellow "Protective Service", Police was on the receiving end of a 5-0 beating from Super League's Stokely Vale with Rondell Winchester scoring twice for the winners, in the 19th and 75th minutes.
In the quarterfinals, Stokely Vale will face Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA after the latter battled past 1st FC Santa Rosa, 3-2 in the first match at Mucurapo. In the two other matches, North East Stars blanked Siparia Spurs 2-0 with Elijah Manners and Kaydion Gabriel on target while T&T survived a tough test from Joe Public, 4-3 on penalty-kicks after a 1-1 draw.
The quarterfinals are carded for Tuesday followed by the semifinals on Friday and the final on December 7. The winner also takes home $50,000 and $20,000 for the runners-up.
