BELIZE CITY–By request of the players, the 5-A-Side Phillip Willoughby Cup tournament games are being played 30-30 (30 minute halves) instead of 25-25 as previously planned. Starting at 11:00 a.m., all 10 registered teams saw action yesterday, Monday, October 13, with a number of fans turning out at the Yabra Football Field.
The goals are 4-foot squares; the playing field is marked out at 60 yards long by 40 yards wide; and there is a 10-yard arc in front of each goal, restricting attackers from shooting inside the arc, and defenders from “posting up.”
A number of teams still feature “semipro” players, who will have to be replaced on their team’s 8-man roster whenever they have signed up to participate in the upcoming Premier League of Belize Opening Season competition, which is said to commence this coming weekend.
In yesterday’s opener at Yabra, Rangers got the 5-3 win over Honduras with 2 goals from Jaime Dominguez and 1 apiece from Steve Mayen, Reynaldo Dominguez and Henry Veliz; while for Honduras, Carlos Armando struck twice and Armin Bados got the other.
In a high scoring affair in game 2, Eiley City Boys FC out-gunned Survivors, 9-7. Delroy “Tin Man” Andrews led Eiley City Boys with 4 goals, Brian Martinez added 2; and Kevin Rowland, Jason “Paxon” Young and Mark Grant scored 1 apiece; while for Survivors, Tyrone Guy netted 4 and Sanja Pitts, Kevin Alvarez and Emory Young scored 1 each.
Game 3 saw Livity Lane bombing Heights FC, 9-1, with James Bowman netting 3, and Leon Gentle, Kadeem Myers and Dalton Cayetano scoring 2 goals apiece; while the lone goal for Heights was by Tyrique Ciego.
In Game 4, Silent Assassin crushed Kulture, 6-1, with goals 2 goals apiece from Kareem Flowers and Lloyd Mangal, and 1 each from Kenrock Robinson and Albert Caretela; while Steve “Gellies” Young scored the only goal for Kulture.
Game 5 to wrap up the evening saw Tulish with the 6-2 win over Caribbean Shipping. Misael Munoz and Marvin Valladarez each got a brace (2), and Aldaer Munoz and Carlos Castro added 1 apiece for Tulish; while Cecil Smith and Orlando Fisher got a goal each for Caribbean Shipping.
At the end of Week 2, Silent Assassin and Eiley FC are the only teams still undefeated.
Week 3 schedule:
Sunday, October 19
11:00 a.m. – Tulish vs Livity Lane Rivero’s
12:15 p.m. – Heights FC vs Honduras FC
1:30 p.m. – Rangers FC vs Eiley City Boys FC
2:45 p.m. – Caribbean Shipping vs Silent Assassin
4:00 p.m. – Kulture vs Survivors