BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 26, 2016–With only a few days to go before our Police United FC team must take the field at the FFB Stadium against Honduran champions Olimpia in the Scotiabank/CONCACAF Champions League 2016-2017, the picture does appear depressing for our Belize representative. It will be the last match for a Police United team that took an embarrassing 11-nil shellacking at the same venue from Mexican champions Pachuca on Tuesday, September 13. It is hard to get worse than that – a new Champions League record. But, to our great discomfort, Olimpia will be trying their best to do just that – eclipse that outlandish score. And we better take them seriously. Olimpia’s only hope of wrenching the top spot in Group E from Pachuca is to out-do them against Police United, and then settle matters between them in Honduras on October 19 for their final match. Only the group winner advances to the Champions League Hexagonal.
It appears there will be no coaching change right now for Police United. One bright spot, though, is a welcome adjustment in the striking arrangement in Police United’s last outing, where the explosive Fubu was placed up front in the attack, nearest to the opponent’s goal, while Cafu (Harrison Roches) played a more supportive role between forward and midfield, to which he is ideally suited.
Here is what Pachuca defender Omar Gonzalez said about Fubu in our interview the day before their game in Belize with Police United.
Gonzalez was referring to their experience in the 3-0 win in Mexico:
“I believe one of Police United’s best players… the small little forward, I can’t remember his name… but he was injured in about the 20th minute… and before he came off the field, he got close to our goal about a couple times… so, if he is healthy tomorrow and ready to go, I think he might make it difficult on us… so we have to be prepared for him…”
Of course, he was talking about Carlton “Fubu” Thomas. Unfortunately for us, though, Fubu played mostly out on the midfield flanks in that 11-0 game.
We are concerned, though, that the spectacular long range shots taken by Tacos (Amin August, Jr.) from his midfield position on Sunday, which were all handled by FC Belize goalkeeper Ibarra, could give the Police United brain trust undue confidence in midfield, where Olimpia will undoubtedly employ speed and much ball movement across the field. Heavy legs make us sitting ducks in that department; which is why the likes of Russell Cassanova created problems for Police on Sunday.
And please remember, Burger (Trevor Lennon) played his best game in midfield, where he earned playoff MVP in Police United’s Opening Season 2015-2016 championship. And what happened to J.R.?
Anyhow, we can’t all be coach. But we are all Belizeans, and ride we will with our Police United FC team on Thursday, September 29, when Olimpia comes to try and make history on us. Not this time, fellas! Go, Belize! Police United all the way!!!