Well, well, well, what a turn of events in the Week 5 stats for the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2012-2013 Opening Tournament. In our Wednesday issue, we had reported that Police United lost this past Sunday at the Norman Broaster Stadium, 1-0, to San Ignacio United, on an own goal in the 87th minute. That “own goal” has caused some confusion, because the initial report we got from the PLB Secretariat at noon on Monday had given the score as 1-0 in favor of San Ignacio. Being unfamiliar with the name of Gilbert Carrillo, who was charged with the own goal, we had overlooked the small printed line below in parentheses, and we missed the corrected email report after 5:00 p.m. on Monday, which made it clear that it was Police who had won the game, 1-0. Our sincere apologies to the Police team and fans, especially their esteemed fan #1 and flag man, “Gambis.” Instead of San Ignacio United posting their first victory of the tournament, it is Police United who is now on a 3-game winning streak after losing their first two matches.

There has been a bit of confusion the past two weeks, during which there was a transition taking place in personnel of the PLB. (See release elsewhere in this issue: “Premier League has new office and new Secretary”) For example, in the Week 4 report, no time (minute) was given for the goals scored in 4 of the 6 games played, and the names of 2 goal scorers were initially missing. Subsequently, and in time for our last Sunday issue, one of those names was released; but not until we met the San Felipe Barcelona team on Sunday at the MCC was it confirmed that Orvin Wade was the goal scorer for their team in the 2-1 loss the previous week to Juventus in San Felipe on September 16. And, again with the Week 5 report, there have been claims from some quarters that it was Danny Jimenez who should be credited with the Police goal in their 1-0 win last Thursday night against San Ignacio United; but we must record the official report from the PLB Secretariat.

Hopefully, we can all get it right from here on, because, as we stated on Wednesday, this tournament looks like “one of the most keenly contested ever.” Already, this past Sunday there have been two major surprises, as Zone-B last place R.G. City Boys United recorded their first win, 2-1, over no less that previously undefeated division leaders and defending champion Placencia Assassins on their home turf in Placencia. (That, after City Boys had just fallen, 3-0, the previous week to Verdes FC at the MCC.) Meanwhile, at the MCC in Belize City, it was Zone-A last place team San Felipe Barcelona grabbing their very fist point of the tournament with a 0-0 draw against undefeated division leaders F.C. Belize. The way it is looking in both zones, almost anybody can beat anybody on a given weekend.

Week 5 game summaries: Thursday, September 20 – Police United 1:0 San Ignacio United (Gilbert Carrillo 87’ own goal) at Norman Broaster; Saturday, September 22 – Verdes FC (Humberto Requena, Jr. 24’, Pedro Guerra 53’, Emmanuel Martinez 82’) 3:2 Paradise/Freedom Fighters (Robert Muschamp 70’, Alexander Peters 87’) at the Marshalleck; Sunday, September 23 – Belize Defence Force (Ralph Flores 34’) 1:1 Belmopan Bandits (David Madrid 75’) at the Norman Broaster; R.G. City Boys United (Dalton Cayetano 29’, David McCaulay, Jr. 81’) 2:1 Placencia Assassins FC (Collin Westby 89’) in Placencia; F.C. Belize 0:0 San Felipe Barcelona at MCC; and Juventus FC (Michael Whittaker 21’) 1:0 San Pedro Seadogs at Louisiana Field in Orange Walk.

Below is the revised Week 5 standings, after correcting for the Police United 1-nil win over San Ignacio United.