BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 24, 2019– Going into the final week of this PLB 2018-2019 Closing regular season, Verdes FC led defending champions Bandits Sport by a single point, 23-22. The Opening Season had ended with both teams tied at 33 points apiece; so the aggregate points score for the combined seasons stood at 56-55 points in favor of Verdes. The points leader between the two in the Closing Season would be the overall Opening & Closing Season points leader.
The CONCACAF berth belongs to the PLB champion, from Opening and Closing Seasons, that accumulates the most combined regular season points. Bandits Sport is the Opening Season champion; the 2018-2019 Closing Season champion is yet to be determined in the upcoming playoffs.
On Holy Thursday night, Bandits Sport rose to the challenge and grabbed the standings lead with a 4-2 victory over San Pedro Pirates FC at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium. Bandits came out “smoking,” taking a 4-nil lead before the Pirates could respond. Shaking the net for the Bandits were Jerry Palacio (2’), Ian “Yellow” Gaynair (8’), Trimayne “Peppa” Harris (17’) and Georgie Welcome (30’ PK); while San Pedro got a goal each from Devin Burgess (42’ PK) and Luis Mencias (43’).
The scheduled Good Friday match between Freedom Fighters FC and Assassins Altitude FC at the Victor Sanchez Union Field was postponed due to heavy rains in the south. This game has no bearing on the playoffs.
Coming into their Holy Saturday afternoon home game, Verdes FC, at 23 points, was now in a position to surpass the Bandits, who had reached 25 points with their final win.
All that Verdes FC had to do in their last regular season game, if they wanted to keep their CONCACAF hopes alive, was to register a victory against the last place team in this tournament, Wagiya Sporting Club. A victory over Wagiya by Verdes would give them 3 points, and maintain their 1 point lead over the Bandits. But, alas, to the disappointment of the faithful Verdes fans at their home field, the Norman Broaster Stadium, the visiting Wagiya team was playing for respect, and they earned it at the expense of Verdes. Verdes got an early goal from Jarret Davis (12’), and for the next 70 minutes they could almost taste the victory; but an insurance goal wouldn’t come, and a late strike by Wagiya’s Kenton Flores (83’) changed everything. It ended, 1-1; and Bandits Sport finished the regular season with a 1-point lead over Verdes in the regular season, and as a result also in the combined Opening & Closing Season totals.
The playoff picture was completed on Easter Monday at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, where Police United FC played to a 2-2 draw with visiting BDF FC. The veteran Harrison “Cafu” Roches struck twice (13’ & 48’) for Police United, while BDF got a goal apiece from Stephen Martinez (26’) and Kyle Budna (90’).
(See Closing Season Standings and combined Opening & Closing Season Standings below.)
Regardless of which team now wins the Closing Season, Bandits Sport has secured the berth for CONCACAF play, as the champion with the most combined points in both Opening & Closing Seasons.
But there is still a Closing Season champion to be crowned, and the home-and-away semifinal playoffs kick off this weekend.
Semifinal 1st leg schedule:
Sunday, April 28
4:00 p.m. – BDF FC vs San Pedro Pirates FC – MCC Grounds
4:00 p.m. – Verdes FC vs Bandits Sport – FFB Stadium
Semifinal 2nd leg schedule:
Saturday, May 4
7:30 p.m. – San Pedro Pirates FC vs BDF FC – Ambergris Stadium
8:00 p.m. – Bandits Sport vs Verdes FC – Isidoro Beaton Stadium