The FFB’s Atlantic Bank Female Football Tournament continued over the weekend with the second leg of its home-and-away semifinal series.
On Saturday night at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio, Belmopan’s Triple B bombed home-standing DFC Gentle Touch of Cayo, 4-1, with goals from Miriam Villamil (9’), Kaina Martinez (31’) and Kaya Cattouse (65’ & 78’). The only reply from Gentle Touch was a late consolation goal by Cindy Fuentes (85’). Triple B also won the previous encounter, 3-1, so they have qualified to the Finals. (By the way, we just confirmed that that is indeed Kaina Martinez, Central American sprinting champion and record holder, playing football with Triple B.)
The other semifinal series was decided on Sunday afternoon at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga, where visiting Ladyville Jaguars gained a 2-1 victory over home squad Griga Pumas. Kara Kisling struck twice (20’ & 26’) in the first half for Ladyville, and Griga only managed to cut the lead in half, a few minutes before the long whistle, on a goal by Jacklaine Arzu (86’). With the 2-1 win, Ladyville Jaguars are aggregate 3-2 winners over Griga Pumas, since the first leg of their semifinal series had ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
The stage is now set for the home-and-away championship series between Triple B of Belmopan and Ladyville Jaguars, while DFC Gentle Touch and Griga Pumas will be playing for third place “on a date to be announced.”
Fans will have to wait a while for that championship series, however, because a release today from the FFB says that those games have been pushed back until “after the Female National Selection returns from Honduras.” The National Female U-20 Selection is reportedly leaving for Honduras on Monday and Tuesday of next week, to participate in the UNCAF U-20 Women’s Central American Qualifier from August 21 – 25. So it seems likely that the championship series, which, at the start of the competition, was scheduled for August 11 and 18, will now be played on September 1 and 8.
Ldv Jaguars unhappy with delay
That’s a long wait for some Ladyville Jaguars players who called the Press Sports Show on Krem Radio last night to voice their displeasure with the postponement. September is for celebrations, they maintained, and there are only a couple U-20 players from Triple B on the National Team. They also argue that the real reason must be that Triple B’s coach, Kent (Gabourel) Gray, is also the head coach of the National Female U-20; but that should not be a valid reason to postpone Triple B’s games, they insist, because they have an assistant coach.
Nothing like a bit of controversy to build up the excitement going into a championship playoff. We’ll see what develops in this female championship row.
(Ed. Note: Participating teams in the 2013 FFB – Atlantic Bank Women Inter-District Tournament were: Zone A – Gentle Touch (Cayo), Sugar City Girls (Orange Walk), Ladyville Jaguars (Belize); and Zone B – Triple B (Belmopan), Dangriga Pumas (Stann Creek), Toledo Scorpions (Toledo).)