Daraine Luton, Freelance WriterPENALTY KICKS yesterday decided the second set of semi-finalists for this week's Corporate Area schoolboy Walker Cup KO competition.
A hard-fought 8-7 penalty kicks win over St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), guaran-teed Calabar their tickets to the semis while Wolmer's got there via a 4-2 shootout win over Norman Manley. Both games were played at the National Stadium.
This means that Tivoli Gardens will be going up against Charlie Smith while Calabar will play Wolmer's in the semis which will be played either on Tuesday or Wednesday. The final will be played on Saturday.
On Friday, Charlie Smith defeated Eltham 1-0 for their spot whereas Tivoli tagged Jamaica College 2-1 to move on.
In the curtain raiser of yesterday's encounters, Calabar were forced to come from behind in regulation time after Troy Clue had given STATHS the lead on 28 minutes. Clue scored with a low 17-yard drive after goalkeeper Oneil Wilson had cleared a Ronaldo Daley shot into his path.
CALABAR PLAYS WITH PURPOSE
But despite going to the break with the momentum, STATHS found a more purposeful Calabar team in their way when the second half started. Calabar attacked with purpose and dominated ball possession and were rewarded with a goal in the 58th minute after Shane Bygrave slotted home a right-sided cross from Lennox Creary to bring the sides level.
STATHS demonstrated a bit more inclination in going forward but Calabar's organised defence kept them at bay. Regulation and extra time saw the teams locked at 1-1. The dreaded penalty kicks had arrived.
After watching 15 consecutive penalties scored, Calabar's coach David Hunt decided that he had to replace goalkeeper Curtis Chickroy, a substitute, with defender Kirk Duckworth, to see if his fortune would change. Chickroy was a mere spectator in the seven kicks that flew to his right. The referee objected to the change and what seemed to be a pile of rubble for Calabar turned gold as Chickroy pulled off a superb save to deny Robert Hines while sending his team into the semi-finals.
Hunt said it was a "well-deserved" win for his team but added that "football was the true winner". Asked about the possibility of his team going for the treble, he said: "We are in with a chance for the Walker Cup and we will just take it one step at a time."
STATHS coach Keith Nichol thought his team played a very tough game but were just unlucky. He promised that "you will see STATHS again".
Meanwhile, Nicardo Beckett netted with a header in the fourth minute of extra-time and many thought he had secured Wolmer's a win. But substitute Jamar Fisher's header from a Norman Bailey corner in the final minute of extra time kept the game open as both sides went to penalties after ending at 1-1.
Fisher's celebration was, however, short-lived as his penalty, which would have kept Norman Manley in the game, was saved by Roberts.
