Photo: Andres Orozco of Altitude FC
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Nov. 23, 2022
They say “to be the champ, you have to beat the champ,” and that is exactly what Altitude FC, the top regular-season finisher in the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2022-2023 Opening Season, are hoping to do when they square off against defending back-to-back PLB champions, Verdes FC, beginning this weekend with Leg 1 of their best-of-two games championship series.
After a 2-1 victory in game one of their semifinal series against a feisty young Progresso FC squad at the People’s Stadium, Altitude FC gained a hard fought 1-0 win over Progresso this past Saturday night, November 19, at the M.A. Stadium in Independence, courtesy of a 58th minute goal by Miguel Garcia off an assist by league leading scorer Andres Orozco, who is much more than a goal scorer for his team. With their spot secured in the finals, Altitude would then wait for the other series winner to be decided on Sunday afternoon. In that second leg semifinal and also in the finals, Altitude will be without the services of their captain/midfielder Delone Torres who had scored the opening goal in their 2-1 first leg semifinal win.
The other semifinal Leg 2 match between Verdes FC and San Pedro Pirates FC was a nail-biter ‘till the final whistle. After a 2-2 draw in Leg 1 at Ambergris Stadium, Verdes seemed to be “home free” in Leg 2 after they had gained a 2-0 lead in first half at the Norman Broaster Stadium on Sunday afternoon through headers from Darrell Myvett (14’) and Desmond Wade (27’). But the score was cut in half by another header, this one from San Pedro’s Horace Avila (42’), making it a 2-1 margin going into the intermission. Verdes fans breathed easier when Trimayne “Peppa” Harris (58’) extended the lead to 3-1 off an assist from Desmond Wade; but San Pedro again came roaring back, this time with a header from Mexican Eric Roman (66’), and just like that the game was again insecure with a 3-2 score. It was tension all the rest of the way, as Verdes tried desperately to hold on to or extend their lead, because another score by San Pedro for a 3-3 draw final score would give San Pedro the series victory by the away-goal rule. Playing without the services of captain Evral Trapp whose arm was in a cast (fractured), the Green Machine managed to hold on until the long whistle for the 3-2 win and thus secure their spot in the Finals against Altitude FC.
Game 1 of the best-of-two finals series will be in San Ignacio, home of # 2 seed Verdes FC, and game 2 will be the following week in Independence, the home base of #1 seed Altitude FC.
In the regular season meetings between these two, Verdes prevailed 1-0 over Altitude in the First Round, and in the Second Round it was a 1-1 affair.
In the regular season, Altitude’s Andres Orozco led all scorers with 11 goals, while Verdes’ Luis Ibarra was third on the list with 7 goals to his credit.
PLB Finals Leg 1 schedule:
Sunday, November 27
3:30 p.m. – Verdes FC vs Altitude FC – Norman Broaster Stadium
Leg 2 will be next Saturday night in Independence.