In its drive to complete the present tournament by the end of May, the BPFL held mid-week games for Round 3 of the tournament last night at the MCC Grounds and the Norman Broaster Stadium.
Out west at the Norman Broaster Stadium, it was defending champion Belize Defence Force, 1-nil, over Hankook Verdes, on a strike by Daniel “Danny” Jimenez. BDF had just suffered their first season loss on Sunday to San Felipe Barcelona.
Also last night, the MCC Grounds was the venue where FC Belize and visiting San Felipe Barcelona played to a 2-2 draw. Missing from the San Felipe line-up was their captain Deris “Columbia” Benavides, who said he is on a 10-day medical leave with a strained hamstring. Nevertheless, the boys from San Felipe showed they still “got game” with an entertaining match last night. After a scoreless first half, Delwin Jones put F.C. Belize ahead from a scramble in front of goal at the 55th minute. San Felipe immediately increased the pressure on attack, and Oscar Acevedo equalized at the 61st. Then, on a spectacular volley, after a center from the left wing, Jaziz Wicab beat a diving Glen Chimilio from 35 yards out to put San Felipe ahead 2-1 at the 63rd minute.
Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton had entered the game a few minutes earlier for F.C. Belize, and, as usual, was creating problems for the opposing defence, to the delight of fans behind the goal in the southern bleachers. Bredda had been suspended from the team late last season due to discipline problems, but he was given a second chance, and this “second coming” was timely, as Bredda, after a number of near misses, finally “bruk i duck” in the big leagues, with his first semi-pro goal at the 70th minute, to tie up the ball game, 2-2. Another beautiful move by Bredda, drawing the defence on the right near the goal line and sending a pass across goal to a waiting teammate on the left side, looked like an assist for the 3rd F.C. goal; but, though nullified as offside, the growing “Bredda fan club” in the “ragamuffin bleachers” still got their money’s worth of thrills from a youth with awesome talent, that should not be allowed to go to waste in a stagnated Belizean football landscape.
There are only 4 teams in the BPFL tournament, but the competition is fierce. Though winless so far, Hankook Verdes has lost all 3 times by only a 1-goal margin. Both Round 4 games this weekend will be first time meetings between the two teams for this season. If you’re in the City, you don’t want to miss F.C. Belize vs BDF.
Saturday, April 2
8:00 p.m. – F.C. Belize vs Belize Defence Force – MCC Grounds
Sunday, April 3
4:00 p.m. – San Felipe Barcelona vs Hankook Verdes – San Felipe Football Field