CAPA SC stormed back from a second-half deficit to defeat New Vibes SC 4-2 in Sunday’s Big 4 third-place match at Bethlehem Soccer Complex, scoring three goals in the final nine minutes after their opponents were reduced to nine men. The dramatic finish capped a weekend marred by penalty issues for New Vibes, who collected their third and fourth red cards of the tournament in the closing stages.
The match began as if New Vibes might erase the memory of Saturday’s 4-0 semifinal loss to Helenites. Naqwan Henry opened the scoring in the third minute, and Jamie Browne added a second goal in the eighth to give the St. Thomas side an early 2-0 advantage.
CAPA, who dominated the St. Croix division this season, responded quickly. After New Vibes’ Johson Bazelais fouled Hasani Edgar Evans in the seventh minute to concede a dangerous free kick, CAPA’s Trevon Thorpe found the back of the net in the 14th minute with a well-placed finish.
“This time he went for placement, not power,” commentator Kevin Sheppard said.
New Vibes goalkeeper Clinson Bonhomme made a crucial save in the 13th minute to preserve his team’s lead, and they took their 2-1 advantage into halftime. The momentum shifted before the break when Henry, who had opened the scoring, was forced out with a red card.
Playing a man down, New Vibes shifted to a defensive approach to protect their lead. The recently crowned President’s Cup champions held firm deep into the second half despite the numerical disadvantage.
In the 78th minute, CAPA’s Jamol Yorke received a red card for a tackle on New Vibes captain Aubin Atemazem, evening the teams at 10 men apiece with New Vibes still clinging to their 2-1 lead.
CAPA head coach Harry Nelson turned to his bench, bringing on substitute Davion Bell. The move proved decisive. Bell tied the match 2-2 in the 86th minute, then New Vibes’ discipline issues resurfaced. Kervin Denis received a red card late in the second half for a tackle on CAPA’s Edgar Evans, reducing New Vibes to nine men and giving CAPA the numerical advantage for the first time.
Bell capitalized immediately, sneaking in his second goal from the far post in the 91st minute to give CAPA their first lead at 3-2. Thorpe added an insurance goal in the 94th minute to seal the 4-2 victory, completing CAPA’s comeback and securing third place.
For New Vibes, the defeat marked their fourth red card in two days, a stunning collapse in discipline that overshadowed their early-season success.
“Playing with one man down was really challenging,” captain Atemazem said. “We just lacked focus. It was a big let down playing with 10 men. We lost our composure, attacking the ref every time he made a call instead of focusing on the game. We tried our best, that’s all we could do.”
Browne, who scored New Vibes’s second goal, acknowledged the team’s struggles with composure.
“It was very challenging,” he said. “Both teams have very good structures and very good players. We have some players who can’t keep their composure when they take cards, and that’s what really killed the game.”
For CAPA, the victory provided redemption after Saturday’s penalty shootout loss to Raymix in the semifinals. Nelson, in his first year bringing a team to the Men’s Premier League, saw the third-place finish as a foundation for future success.
“Our goal was to make a statement, and we achieved what we wanted,” Nelson said. “If this is how we finished the first year, think about what will happen the second year and the third year.”
CAPA captain Kassall Greene, who scored in Saturday’s penalty shootout loss, kept his focus forward rather than dwelling on the semifinal disappointment.
“I don’t think about what happened yesterday,” Greene said. “We came today and did what we had to do.”
Thorpe, who scored twice, including the opening goal and the final insurance strike, praised his team’s overall performance across the tournament.
“It was a great performance every game,” he said. “Today we got a win.”
Bell, whose two goals in five minutes turned the match, credited his emotions for fueling the comeback.
“I was pretty angry coming out,” he said. “I used that to play the game.”
The victory gave CAPA third place in their debut Big 4 appearance, while New Vibes finished fourth despite entering as the top seed from St. Thomas and the reigning President’s Cup champions.
St. Croix Source
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