BELIZE CITY–The Yabra Football Field was the scene of football action on Sunday, October 5, as the first 4 games were played in the Philip Willoughby Cup Five-A-Side Football Tournament.
There are reportedly 10 teams (8 players per team roster) in the competition – Survivors, Rangers, Heights, Tulish, Silent Assassin, Livity Lane, Eiley FC, Honduras, Kulture and Caribbean Shipping.
Tournament coordinators Jerome “Peeloff” Meheia and Gazden Ferguson said yesterday that the tournament, which is for non-semipro players, will emphasize strict discipline, and they have compiled a list of rules and regulations that participating teams, officials and players “shall automatically undertake to.” Penalties include fines, suspension from games, or expulsion from the tournament.
The Preliminary Phase of the tournament is a single round-robin; and in the Playoff Phase, the top 4 teams play each other once, with the two teams gaining the most points then playing one game for the championship, while the other two play for third place. The usual points system will apply – 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and none for a loss. Games are usually on Sundays, with 25 minute halves (25-25), the first game beginning at 11:00 a.m. The 1st place team will receive $1,000.00; 2nd place $500.00; and 3rd $300.00. Also, the MVP and Most Goals each gets a trophy along with $25.00.
In game 1 this past Sunday, Survivors edged Rangers, 4-3. Goal scorers for Survivors were Tyrone Guy (1), Sanja Pitts (2) and Kevin Alvarez (1); while Rangers had a goal apiece from Carlos Bonilla, Henry Veliz and William Rodriguez. Game 2 saw Heights crushing Tulish, 5-2. Tariq Ciego netted 4 and Amar Lemott scored 1 for Heights; while Tulish goals were by Alber Cecer and Douglas Morcada. In game 3, it was Silent Assassin, 3-1, over Livity Lane. Shaking the net for the Assassin were Kareem Flowers (2) and Albert Caretela; while Teddy Fraser got the only goal for Livity. And in game 4, Eiley FC out-gunned Honduras, 8-4, with goals from Brian Martinez (5), Delroy Andrews (2) and Kevin Roland; while Carlos Ardor got all 4 goals for Honduras.
We asked Peeloff about semipro prospects Brian Martinez and Delroy Andrews, who appeared on Eiley FC; he said once a player has signed with a semipro team in the upcoming PLB season, he can no longer play in this tournament.
Upcoming games:
Monday, October 13
11:00 a.m. – Honduras vs Rangers
12:15 p.m. – Survivors vs Eiley FC
1:30 p.m. – Livity Lane vs Heights
2:15 p.m. – Kulture vs Silent Assassin
4:00 p.m. – Caribbean Shipping vs Tulish