If you were an Erei fan, then I believe that you got more than your money?s worth. Because, apart from New Site Erei?s excellent performance on the pitch, you had entertainment throughout the game with constant drumming and singing in the stands. The fans for HanKook Verdes are still waiting for their team to show up.
You can say that New Site Erei dominated the entire game, though I may be exaggerating a bit. As I was watching the game, the term ?steel curtain? kept popping up in my mind. Back in the seventies that was the term used to describe the Pittsburgh Steelers? defense as they terrorized opposing teams? offenses in the NFL. But comparing American football and soccer (or what we call football) is like comparing apples and oranges. Nevertheless, that term seemed appropriate for New Site Erei?s defense, at least for this game. Nothing was getting around Erei?s defense, not even the ball.
HanKook Verdes were playing relatively well controlling the midfield. However, the forwards, who are small and amazingly fast, were unable to really challenge Erei?s defense when they got the ball. Not only did Erei?s defense impose their size, they also had speed.
Verdes? defenders were not that bad either. But in the 29thminute of the first half, Lennox ?Criminal? Castillo exposed a chink in their armor when he broke down the left side of the defense and scored the first goal of the game, giving New Site Erei the 1-nil lead.
Immediately as the second half got under way, New Site Erei tried to go for the jugular. They launched a flurry of shots in the first two minutes and came extremely close in one instance when Jose Lara cleared the ball just before it crossed the goal line. Not to be outdone, HanKook Verdes did manage a decent attempt on goal in the fifth minute of the second half. Marlon ?El Matador? Mesa eluded New Site Erei?s left side defense on a rare occasion and sent a shot that missed by about a foot.
New Site Erei continued to press the action but was somehow caught off guard in the twelfth minute. Everald Gabourel received a pass inside the eighteen and sent the ball into the back of the net to tie the score at one apiece.
New Site Erei regained their composure after that goal and became more relentless with their attacks on the goal. This time, it was the Verdes? defense who were caught napping in the 18thminute when Elroy Kuylen shook the back of the net as the defending champs regained their one goal lead. Darwin Castillo almost increased the lead in the 34thminute with a chip shot over goalkeeper Jamie Brooks (HanKook Verdes), but Jose Lara was there again to save the day, clearing the ball before it entered the open goal.
It did not take too long after that before Norman ?Tilliman? Pipersburgh delivered the coup de grace. His second goal of the tournament came in the 82ndminute, and New Site cruised to a 3-1 victory over HanKook Verdes.
HanKook Verdes will have a hard time to rebound as they visit the powerhouse F.C. Belize at MCC this coming Sunday. New Site Erei will be at home to host the league leading Placencia Pirates.
Placencia Pirates vs Cayo Avengers
Picture this; you are making a long journey to face a team who are waiting for you impatiently to exact their revenge from a shocking loss in the last tournament, a tournament in which your only three points came at their expense. Well, that was the case last Sunday, March 5, when the Cayo Avengers made the long journey South to face the Placencia Pirates.
The Pirates were playing in excellent form, coming off a 2-1 victory over Benque Viejo D.C. United, in Benque. For their part, the Avengers had managed to rebound in the second half at Norman Broaster to pull off a 2-2 draw against the newcomers, Alpha from Orange Walk.
It was still a nil-nil ballgame after the first twenty minutes of play. But Bob Torres changed that when he scored in the 21stminute, giving the Placencia Pirates the 1-nil lead. For the rest of the game, Cayo Avengers fought tooth and nail to come up with the equalizer. But the Placencia Pirates were having none of that.
I do not know if the two tire blowouts experienced by the Avengers on the way to Placencia were bad omens for them. All I know is that Placencia?s Gilmore Palacio delivered the crushing blow late in the game, giving Placencia the 2-nil lead with about seven minutes to go in regulation. That was the way it ended as Cayo Avengers were unable to get a single goal this time around.
Placencia Pirates now sport the best record in the tournament with two victories. But come Sunday, March 12, 2006, they will be faced with their biggest challenge yet when they visit the defending champions, New Site Erei. Cayo Avengers will also face a huge challenge when they host Wagiya, who are pretty determined to get in the win column after having drawn their first two games.
Alpha of Orange Walk vs F.C. Belize
There are two halves in a football game. And, in order to win, you must at least play well and dominate both halves, and, most importantly, score. I think the guys from Alpha know this all too well. Even though their intentions were to do just that, for a second week in a row they only performed well in one half.
This being their home debut, Alpha had the opportunity to show their fans that they are for real. And, they had to do so against F.C. Belize, semifinalists in the last BPFL tournament?s playoffs.
Midway through the first half, Alpha had a 2-nil lead over F.C. Belize with the two goals coming merely six minutes apart. The first came from Osmar Chan in the 17thminute and the second came 23rdminute by Carlos Grijalva. Alpha was looking very good in front of their fans. Then they became a bit complacent at the end of the first half and Marcos ?Magoo? Souto made them pay for that by scoring in the 44th minute, as the half ended 2-1 in favor of Alpha.
Two minutes into the second half, Alpha?s lead evaporated as Leon Jones scored the equalizer for F.C. Belize. F.C. Belize were unable to come up with the winning goal. Alpha, for their part, also came up empty, and the teams settled for the 2-2 draw.
On Sunday, March 12, F.C. Belize will try to keep their unbeaten streak alive when they host HanKook Verdes. Alpha will travel to our nation?s capital to face Belmopan United as they try to find that winning formula.
Wagiya vs Benque Viejo D.C. United
After being one of the dominant forces in the last tournament, Wagiya have yet to return to their winning ways. They drew last Sunday with the defending champions, New Site Erei. Wagiya were hoping to pull off a win when they hosted Benque Viejo D.C. United, who were coming off a difficult 2-1 loss to the Placencia Pirates. They certainly were not going to roll over and let Wagiya have their way.
After a hard fought battle, the teams ended up in a scoreless draw.
Wagiya will try to turn it up when they travel to San Ignacio this weekend to face the Cayo Avengers. Benque Viejo D.C. United will be hosting Kremandala Penta on Saturday night.
Kremandala Penta vs Belmopan United
As Week One came to a close, Kremandala Penta became the only team in the tournament that had failed to score a goal. So, on Sunday March 5, 2006, as they hosted Belmopan United, what do they do? They scored a hat trick (ha) and kept a clean sheet in the process. All this without the services of two of their key players – Paul Nunez and captain Mark ?Kelo? Leslie, who were out on suspension.
Kremandala Penta?s offense failed to capitalize on a few scoring opportunities. But in the 35th minute of play, as action developed in the eighteen, David ?Dav? McCaulay, Jr., got possession of the ball and, instead of shooting, chose to pass it to Dion ?Pussy? Flowers. Flowers? shot hit the upright before going into the back of the net to put Kremandala Penta up 1-nil.
In first half injury time, Deris ?Colombia? Benevides almost came up with the equalizer for Belmopan United with a shot off a volley that went inches wide of the goal.
The second half continued with more attacks by Kremandala Penta. Two minutes into the second half, Belmopan United?s defense was caught napping as Jermaine ?Bowfoot? Zuniga got the ball from a huge free kick. He took it into the danger zone and gave it to Dav McCaulay, Jr., who sent it into the back of the net as Kremandala increased their lead to 2-nil.
Belmopan United were completely out of it when Dion ?Pussy? Flowers struck again in the 19th minute for his second of the game, thus completing Kremandala Penta?s hat trick. It was a beautiful individual display of fancy footwork as he beat two defenders and then the goalkeeper
On Sunday, March 12, Kremandala Penta will travel west to the Marshalleck Stadium to face homestanding Benque Viejo D.C. United in Benque. Belmopan will try to turn things around when they host Alpha from Orange Walk in the new capital.