With under seven minutes remaining in regulation, trailing 2-nil to Dangriga’s Ilagulei, and grey skies giving way to mists of fine drizzle and a freshening northerly wind, City fans yesterday at the MCC were heading for shelter at the Sports Council building, resigned to what seemed the certain end of a season-long undefeated streak by F. C. Belize. The Group 2 number one seed Ilagulei had commanded the action in midfield for most of the game, and were already relishing the two-goal advantage they would enjoy at home in Dangriga, on the eve of Settlement Day, to close out the semifinals against the Group 1 number one seed.
To make matters worse for the former national champs, F.C. Belize, there appeared to be some slight dissension, or perhaps more accurately, some difference of opinion on strategy during the half-time break; and there was visible despondence in the faces of the players, then down 1-nil, as they sat and absorbed the scolding and exhortations of coach Willie Bo Bernard and assistant coach Ian Henry. The uncertainty and discontent continued into the second half, with Ilagulei going up another goal, making it 2-nil at the 21st minute of second half. F.C. Belize’s dream season was in serious jeopardy, and they didn’t seem to have any answer for the game that Ilagulei brought to them in this, their first meeting of the 2008 competition.
Both F.C. Belize and Ilagulei were the number one seeds in their respective groups in the regular season; but, for some strange reason, the BPFL had arranged the playoff format so that, if they were both successful in the quarterfinal playoffs, as they were, they would meet in the semis, rather than in the finals. One of the two best teams in the regular season would thus definitely not make it to “the big dance”.
Young Byron Usher is a new addition to the F.C. Belize lineup this season, and it must be that the F.C. think tank thought very highly of this young man, to have put him up front beside the famous Jarro James as one of their starting twin strikers at the top level of semipro competition in Belize. And the kid has delivered consistently, ranking in the top 5 “goleadors” in the regular season. Though only in his first full semipro season (he only played about 20 minutes last year with BDF), the eighteen-year-old has shown surprising maturity and confidence going up against the best in the league, and it begs the question: Who is this kid; and where is he from? The role of a striker is critical, especially in a twin striker formation, and apparently Byron was the source of some differences of opinion in the F.C. staff yesterday. Obviously, someone in authority had confidence in the youth and decided to stick with him down the stretch; and the youth delivered, in crunchtime.
We will learn more about Byron Usher in due time, but for now, he is from the village of Maskall, and he “warmed the bench” last year on the B.D.F. team; thus this year can be more appropriately described as his rookie season. And what a steal he has been for F.C. Belize! (In fairness, we haven’t seen Rafael Rivero, the BPFL pick for Rookie of the Year; but he must be really good to get the nod over Byron Usher.)
Ilagulei had jumped in front at the 17th minute, after Kareem Haylock’s free kick from the right side found Lisbey Castillo whose glancing header through a crowd of F.C. defenders found the far corner out of reach of a diving Stanley “Jordan” Reneau in goal for F.C. Belize. And the lead had been reinforced in the second half, when Haylock’s corner from the left side was headed down in front of the “Seaview” goal, and a whirling Elroy Kuylen caught it on the bounce and sent a right foot rocket past Jordan from point blank range. 2-nil, Illagulei.
But, imperceptible to some, the tide had begun to change a bit in the game. Feeling their lead secure, Ilagulei had replaced David Trapp with Ryan Simpson, and Lisbey Castillo with Aaron McLaughlin; F.C. had responded by inserting Leon Cadle for T-Bone, and John “No Sense” Smith for Thomas Castro. The changes may have favored F.C., though some of their staff also wanted to replace young Byron Usher. In retrospect, they certainly are now glad they didn’t.
With dejected City fans beginning to stream toward the gate as the drizzle became heavier, the veterans of F.C. Belize were in no mood to give up, and were playing with a renewed sense of urgency. They had been here before. Kicking into the northern goal, F.C.’s John Smith’s indirect kick from the left side of midfield saw Shannon Flowers venturing up from defence into the opponent’s eighteen and sneaking a header past a surprised Kevin Dawson in goal for Ilagulei at the 37th minute of the second half. 2-1 ball game, and the tempo of the game picked up, as, with all of eight minutes to go, a draw no longer seemed impossible.
The rain was coming harder now, and only a couple minutes later, a high overhead pass into the Ilagulei goal area found goalkeeper Dawson tentative in coming out, as F.C.’s veteran striker Jeromy “Jarro” James was coming hard to challenge left defender Everol Trapp. At the last second, Jarro stalled and changed direction, with Trapp and his goalie colliding, and the ball rolling forward, for Jarro to accelerate and send it hard into the open net. 2-2 ballgame; but with some controversy delaying the game for about four minutes, as Trapp stayed on the ground, while Ilagulei teammates and bench remonstrated with the referee, but to no avail.
The Ilagulei team was disappointed early in the first half, when a penalty called in their favor at the 28th minute by referee Gerald Henry was subsequently re-called and a “bomb-ball” given instead, after the referee had consulted with linesman Eugene Contreras. Indeed, the penalty call had appeared “weak”, but having called it, the referee was understandably criticized by a disappointed Ilagulei team. Now they wanted their payback, but the linesman had no gifts to offer; it was ruled a simple collision of teammates.
After a four-minute game delay, play resumed, and it was now a brand new ball game, with time running out; and Kelo was taking command in midfield, maintaining possession in a long upfield dribble through sheer persistence. Another four minutes had passed when Kelo sent a high lob pass on the right side to a streaking Byron Usher, and it was a race against the defence to reach the air ball before it crossed the goal line. But in an impressive display of skill and poise under pressure, the youth not only saved the ball from crossing the line, but deflected it in mid flight with a right foot cross that sent it in front of goal, where an advancing Jarro met it with a slicing right foot volley that drained a grounder into the far right corner. Goaaal!! Unbelievable; 3-2, F.C. Belize, after trailing 2-nil at the 37th minute of second half. A few more minutes of injury time and it was all over.
What a game! F.C. Belize’s unprecedented BPFL undefeated string is still alive. And young Byron Usher has served notice that he is here, the latest marvel of Belizean talent that begs and shouts to the powers that be – the show is coming; prepare the stage!