St Anthony’s edge Mucurapo in North Intercol final

ST ANTHONY’S are the 2019 Coca Cola Intercol North Zonal champions, after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over East Mucurapo in Friday’s final, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Kiron Manswell (32nd minute) and Kai Phillip (80th) were the goal-getters for St Anthony’s, with Malachi Celestine (65th) finding the back of the net for East Mucurapo.

St Anthony’s will advance to the National Intercol quarter-final, where they will host Tobago Zonal champs Speyside at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Tuesday.

Manswell broke the deadlock midway in the first half, with a neatly-placed right-footed shot past the outstretched right hand of goalkeeper Jamale Blackman after he was picked out, inside the penalty box, by midfielder Zion Williams.

The slimly-built Williams shrugged off the challenges of Zion McLeod and Cecil Young down the right and squared the ball to Manswell who finished from 10 metres out.

Mucurapo equalised after the hour-mark with a route-one tactic – Blackman’s long punt was met by McLeod who held off his marker Malachi Daniel and fed Celestine who, in turn, rounded goalie Josiah Perez and slotted his left-footed shot into the open net.

However, substitute Phillip had the final say, as he raced on to a pass from Jean-Heim McFee, evaded defender Daniel Lake and sent his right-footed shot to the left of Blackman.

The last of the zonal finals will be contested on Monday, with reigning National and South champions Naparima opposing arch-rivals Presentation San Fernando at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 3.15 pm.