Arnett thump Jong Holland to advance to CFU Shield semis

IN WHAT early predictions thought would have been a close encounter, it was all Arnett Garden as they thumped Curaçao club Jong Holland 7-1 to book their place in the semifinals of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield yesterday.

Playing at the Ergilio Hato Stadium, home to Jong Holland, Arnett were at their attacking best.

A hat trick from Fabian Reid, along with goals from Jaheim Thomas, Rushike Kelson, Kimani Arbouine and Rushane Thompson led the way for the Junglists.

Goalscorer Arbouine was full of praise after the match, saying the result comes from the extensive attacking drills the team did during their training sessions.

“It was a very good game,” he said. “We held our heads and came out and got the victory we needed. We’ve been practising in training to score a lot of goals from a lot of scoring drills. The guys worked very hard and put their chances away.”

Arnett started the rout early in the fixture, scoring within the first five minutes.

An inventive free-kick routine from Jamone Shepherd resulted in a scramble in the six-yard box before Reid finished into an empty net.

They would double their lead minutes later when Keneldo Brown broke through the defensive line on a counter. Unselfishly, he played in Thomas, who made no mistake from close range.

They would get their third on the stroke of half-time as Reid returned for his second of the game.

With the ball at his feet at the edge of the box, Reid unleashed a stunning strike which beat the young Reinier Bonifacio in the Jong Holland goal.

Jong Holland would get their only goal of the night as Shurwendel Roosje pegged one back in the 58th minute of play.

It was all Arnett from that point on. However, the Junglists responded just two minutes later. Shepherd’s cross found the head of Reid, who completed his hat trick at the near post.

Substitute Kelson added to JOng Holland’s woes just a few minutes later, deftly finishing into the lower left-hand corner of the net for Arnett’s fifth.

The ever-threatening Arbouine was the next to put his name on the scoresheet and he did so in spectacular fashion.

With a quick turn to beat his marker, Arbouine struck a ferocious half-volley to beat the diving custodian.

Thomas finished off the night’s proceedings a minute before time, beating an onrushing Bonifacio to the ball for his first goal of the night and second of the tournament.

Arnett will now look for a place in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup when they play the Dominican Republic’s Atletico Pantoja, who defeated Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan FA.