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BDF clinches finals spot; Verdes not safe yet

SportsBDF clinches finals spot; Verdes not safe yet
BDF clinched the first spot in the BPFL championship finals series when they drew 1-1 with visiting Hankook Verdes yesterday afternoon in a rough and tough affair at the MCC Garden in Belize City. 
 
The speedy Verdes twin strikers Orlando “Leech” and Daniel “Danny” Jimenez created problems for the BDF defence, resulting in a penalty at the 16th minute, but Danny’s penalty kick went way wide to the left of goal. The Jimenez tandem continued their magic, and their efforts paid off at the 27th minute with Danny registering his third goal in the playoffs.
 
The game was indeed a very physical one, with the level of rough and even dangerous play having increased perceptibly in the playoffs (in both leagues) as the stakes get higher; and the men in the middle have not been quite up to the task of controlling the level of rough play, despite the occasional red card
 
The tying goal for BDF came early in the second half, at the 54th minute, when an alert Azizi Swazo capitalized on a Verdes defensive error on a centering pass and sent a well placed header from close range past Verdes goalie Jamie Brook.
 
With the 1-1 final score, BDF now has 11 points, enough to guarantee a spot in the finals, regardless of the outcome of the final week of the playoffs.
 
Verdes is not safe yet, though. In their final game of the playoffs, following the Easter break, they will be without the services of star midfielder Ricardo “Cheety” Jimenez, as he was ejected for his remarks following the referee’s lack of sanction to the defender that took down his brother Danny late in the game yesterday. Danny, who was out cold for a minute, and eventually resumed play with a badly bruised shoulder, remained in a daze even after the end of the game. Verdes need only a draw to clinch a finals spot, but if Danny’s shoulder is not ready in time for the critical final playoff game against Wagiya at the Norman Broaster, they could find themselves without both Cheety and Danny, and thus more vulnerable to upset by winless Wagiya. And if F.C. Belize gets over BDF, as they have twice done in the regular season, the defending champs could well go through to the finals on the strength of their better goal difference. So, it’s not over yet.       
 
In the other playoff match yesterday, at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga, defending champions F.C. Belize came out smoking, shelling home standing Wagiya twice in each half for the 4-1 victory, and thus keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the finals against BDF. Tyrone “T-Bone” Muschamp and Jeromy “Jarro” James shook the net for F.C. Belize in the first half at the 36th and 39th minute, respectively. Wagiya’s Lisbey Castillo replied at the 56th, but F.C.’s midfielder Mark “Kelo” Leslie struck twice, at the 86th and in injury time to make it a 4-1 final for F.C. Belize.

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