Roen Nelson ... back at Portmore. - file

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Jamaican Roen Nelson scored a stunning injury-time strike as Joe Public beat San Juan Jabloteh 2-1 to win the Toyota Classic title in a thrilling encounter at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Friday night.

Nelson's heroic minutes in time added on came a mere seconds after Jabloteh's Khaleem Hyland had headed in the equalising goal, which threatened to send the match into penalty kicks to decide the winner.

But with Jabloteh's supporters still on their feet celebrating Hyland's goal, the burly Jamaican superbly turned on defender Karlon Murray and blasted past a hapless goalkeeper Cleon John, who had kept his team in the match all night with a number of superb saves.

Earlier, Kerry Baptiste had sent Joe Public ahead in the 75th minute with a well-executed free kick, after both teams had missed chances to get on the scoresheet.

In the 13th minute, Joe Public's midfielder Arnold Dwarika came close when his shot from the edge of the 18-yard box sailed just wide of the mark.

Hyland had Jabloteh's first real attempt on goal, but his long-range effort also went wide of Colombian goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa's post.

Right-handed save

Goalkeeper John denied Joe Public from taking the lead in the 25th minute when he pulled off a diving, right-handed save to his left to block a Lyndon Andrews rocket from going in.

Vincentian striker Shandel Samuel was sent off late in the game for dangerous play, after he came off the bench in search of an equaliser for Jabloteh.

With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Hyland headed in from close range to draw his side level. But Jabloteh's joy was short-lived as Nelson collected a ball just inside the area, turned on his marker before rifling the ball high over the head of John and into the roof of the net.

In the third place play-off, goalkeeper Selwyn George turned from villain to hero as he led Defence Force to a 3-2 win on penalty kicks over Caledonia AIA after a 1-1 deadlock at the end of regulation time.

George had made an error in the second half, allowing Caledonia the opening goal in the 64th minute, but the stocky goalie produced three saves from the spot denying Abdullah Phillip, Dwight Peters and Marvin Oliver to earn his side the tense win.

Earlier, Marvin Oliver put Caledonia ahead after George made a clumsy advance out of his area for a long ball but Defence Force leveled the score in the 73rd minute when substitute Sherman Phillip collected a right-sided cross, turned and shot past goalkeeper Jhony Ortiz Cardona.