Week 7, which completes the 1st Round, was another tough one in the Premier League of Belize 2012-2013 Closing Season, with all 8 teams still mathematically in the race for the championship. (See standings at bottom.) The San Felipe Barcelona vs Police United game was postponed until April 10, but there was ample excitement in the 3 games played, two on Thursday night, March 21, and the other on Sunday, March 24.
The biggest upset so far in the season occurred on Thursday night at the Marshalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo, where cellar dwelling Verdes FC gave a shocking 2-0 hurting on the visiting league leaders, Belize Defense Force, courtesy of two first half goals by Julio Ayala (28’ & 33’). Meanwhile, nearby at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio, defending champion Belmopan Bandits were also having a hard time, but managed to pull out a draw after trailing home squad San Ignacio United. Rosny Martinez (44’) gave San Ignacio the first half lead, but Darren Myers (81’) got the second half equalizer for the visiting Bandits to secure the 1-1 draw.
The only Sunday afternoon game was at the MCC Grounds in Belize City, where home- standing F.C. Belize went toe to toe with the boys from the south, Placencia Assassins, in a game that could have gone either way. There were a couple early scares for F.C. Belize, as a free kick from Placencia’s Bernard “Hijo” Linares bounced off the crossbar, and goalkeeper Glenford Chimilio had to make a diving save from a shot into the right “pigeon hole” by Placencia’s Mexican import Jesus Ramos. The second half looked a bit better for the home team with the insertion of veteran Norman “Tilliman” Nunez, who immediately established productive passing combinations with young F.C. Belize talents Avian Crawford and Kristian Perez in midfield. On Placencia’s side, striker Alexander “Pleck” Peters was very impressive, as well as captain Dalton Eiley, who played another full ninety in the sweeper position, after going all the way on Saturday night with the Belize national team against Trinidad & Tobago at the FFB Stadium. In the end it was decided by a second-half penalty conversion by Cristobal Gilharry (75’ PK), after Kristian Perez was tripped inside the box, to give F.C. Belize the 1-nil win.
The Week 7 back match featuring FC San Felipe Barcelona vs Police United FC will be played at the People’s Stadium on April 10 at 7:30 p.m.
There are two sets of mid-week games included in the schedule for the 2nd Round of competition in the PLB 2012-2013 Closing Season. Week 8 will be mid-week games, and Week 9 will be the regular weekend, all games falling on Easter Sunday.
Week 8 schedule:
Wednesday, March 27
7:30 p.m. – Verdes FC vs Belmopan Bandits FC – Marshalleck Stadiuim
7:30 p.m. – Belize Defense Force vs San Ignacio United FC – Norman Broaster Stadium
Thursday, March 28
7:30 p.m. – Police United FC vs Placencia Assassins FC – MCC Grounds
7:30 p.m. – FC San Felipe Barcelona vs FC Belize – People’s Stadium
Week 9 schedule:
Sunday, March 31
3:30 p.m. – FC San Felipe Barcelona vs Belmopan Bandits FC – People’s Stadium
3:30 p.m. – Placencia Assassins FC vs Belize Defense Force – Placencia Football Field
3:30 p.m. – San Ignacio United FC vs Verdes FC – Norman Broaster Stadium
4:00 p.m. – FC Belize vs Police United FC – MCC Grounds