Photo: Port Layola’s “Small Axe”, Rene Leslie explodes for 5 goals against Bandits Sports on Thursday night at Isidoro Beaton Stadium. (Game was originally scheduled for Saturday night.)
by William Ysaguirre
SAN IGNACIO, Cayo District, Sun. Sept. 29, 2024
Verdes FC blanked the San Pedro Pirates, 2-0, at the Norman Broaster Stadium on Sunday evening, September 29, and took the lead in the Premier League of Belize (PLB) standings of its 2024-2025 Opening Season; while Progresso FC remained in 2nd place with a 3-0 win over winless Wagiya SC at the People’s Stadium on Saturday night. (See standings below.)
Desmond Wade’s brace (15’ and 19’) were all the shells the Green Machine needed to sink the Pirates’ ship. Colombian import Yubeiqier Arenas and Nahjib Guerra pressed for more goals, supported by Jordi Polanco, Darrel Myvett and Camilo Fajardo at midfield. Pirates’ defenders Marlon Gutierrez, Brian Chavez, Louis Valdez and Moises Hernandez were hard pressed to help goalkeeper Selvin Sagastume concede no more goals.
Down at the other end, Mauro Cecreta and Keydenshay Bowen led the Pirates’ counterattacks with the help of Tyrese Augustine and Jose Chimal on the wings and Delone Torres and Devon Makin at midfield. They made no impression on the Verdes’ defenders Evral Trapp, Brandon Jones, Arles Abonia Balanta and Jaylen Lennan who shut them down, and goalkeeper Woodrow West handled all other challenges.
Augustine ran out of gas after less than half an hour of play, and coach Jorge Nunes introduced Henry Bejerano to replace him, and Nicolas Orellano relieved Bowen before the half. Shedrick Swazo replaced Hernandez after the break, but it was too little to make a difference.
Verdes new technical director Jose Hernandez Perez refreshed his offensive line with Krisean Lopez relieving Arenas, and Alence Ayala replaced Wade. Juan Ocampo and Christian Sanchez replaced Jones and Lennan, and Ronald Benavides relieved Abonia Balanta to help secure the shut out of the Pirates.
Rene Leslie’s beaver hat trick (28’, 30’, 51’, 53’ and 55’) led the defending champions Port Layola FC, as they sacked the Belmopan Bandits, 6-0, after Latrell Middleton (20’) opened the scoreboard at the Football Federation of Belize Stadium last Thursday night.
Mikey Palacio’s brace (2’ and 44’) sandwiched a Trimayne “Pepper” Harris goal (41’) to lead Progresso FC to a 3-0 win over Wagiya SC.
Upcoming Week 9 matches:
Saturday, October 5
7:30 p.m. – Bandits Sports vs Verdes FC at Isidoro Beaton Stadium
Sunday, October 6
4:00 p.m. – Port Layola FC vs Progresso FC at Marion Jones Sports Complex
4:00 p.m. – Wagiya SC vs San Pedro Pirates at Carl Ramos Stadium