Verdes still leads standings; Latrell still leading goal scorer

BELIZE CITY, Tues. Mar. 26, 2024

This will be a monster Easter sporting weekend, for not only is there the Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, but Holy Saturday night will feature a return to top level football, as the Premier League of Belize (PLB) begins its regular season home stretch to the Top-4 playoffs with Week 11 games on Holy Saturday night and Easter Sunday afternoon.

As things stand right now, the Top-4 playoff picture is beginning to take shape at the end of Week 10 and the completion of all back matches. (See standings below.)

Following is a brief summary of Weeks 9 and 10 results:

Week 9 results: Altitude, 2-1, over Verdes (their first loss); Benque, 2-1, over Police; Progresso, 1-0, over Bandits; and Port Layola, 6-0, over Wagiya.

Week 8 back match on Thursday, March 14: Police, 2-0, over Wagiya.

Week 10 results: Progresso drew, 2-2, with Altitude; Benque, 3-2, over Bandits; Verdes, 6-0, over Wagiya; and Port Layola drew, 2-2, with Police.

Week 7 back match on Wednesday, March 20: Altitude, 2-1, over Wagiya.

With Week 10 and all back matches completed, the goal scoring leader remains Port Layola’s Latrell Middleton with 12 goals; next is Verdes’ Matias Vernon with 11; then Wagiya’s Harrison “Cafu” Roches and Altitude’s Andres Orozco with 6 goals apiece.

International Friendlies

In International Friendlies against Puerto Rico at the FFB Stadium, on Thursday night, March 21, it was a 1-1 draw with Carlos Bernardez scoring for Belize; and on Sunday night, Belize dropped Puerto Rico, 3-0, with goals from Michael Salazar (43’), Warren Moss (55’) and Felix Martinez (74’).

PLB action resumes at Easter

Week 11 games schedule:

Holy Saturday, March 30
7:30 p.m. – Progresso FC vs Wagiya SC – People’s Stadium
7:30 p.m. – Benque United FC vs Altitude FC – Marshalleck Stadium
7:30 p.m. – Bandits Sports vs Police United FC – Isidoro Beaton Stadium

Easter Sunday, March 31
4:00 p.m. – Verdes FC vs Port Layola FC – Norman Broaster Stadium

Outlook to Week 12:

Saturday, April 6
7:30 p.m. – Police United FC vs Verdes FC – Marshalleck Stadium
7:30 p.m. – Altitude FC vs Bandits Sports – M.A. Stadium in Independence

Sunday, April 7
4:00 p.m. – Port Layola FC vs Progresso FC – Marion Jones Sports Complex
4:00 p.m. – Wagiya SC vs Benque United FC – Carl Ramos Stadium