The Green Machine Victorious Over Panama’s San Francisco
The Green Machine rolled into the F.F.B. Stadium in Belmopan last night taking on the visiting Panamanian team, San Francisco FC. And after a trouncing in Queretaro, Mexico last week, Verdes FC stepped up their game in the CONCACAF Scotiabank Champions League. After neutralizing the first goal by San Francisco, Verdes’s super striker Deon McCauley, lived up to expectations in the eighty-eighth minutes of play. News Five’s Isani Cayetano takes a look at the winning home game for the Green Machine.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
After suffering a miserable, eight-nil trouncing in Queretaro last week, Verdes F.C. has managed to somewhat redeem itself by edging out San Francisco of Panama in Tuesday night’s home game at the FFB Stadium. CONCACAF’s Scotiabank Champions League returned to Belize where the first of two games was played in the Garden City. While spectatorship was anemic, the Green Machine came out in full force against its opponents, scoring two goals during regulation time to take the lead against the visiting team. San Francisco’s Technical Director Gary Stempel.
Gary Stempel
Gary Stempel, Technical Director, San Francisco F.C.
“I thought we did well to start winning the game one-nil and they scored a goal a couple minutes later which always kills a little bit the initiative that we had. Then after that second half it was anybody’s game. We were looking for the victory, pushed a lot of players up, we knew we’d have to leave a lot of spaces, opportunities for goals and counterattacks which happened in the last minute. We had our opportunities as well to score but in the end Belize played a good game and won at home. They’re a tough team.”
Leading the charge against the Panamanians was midfielder Deon McCauley. Despite missing an easy opportunity to score a penalty, McCauley would go on to gain a point by game’s end. He begins by reflecting on the terrible outing in Mexico a week ago.
Deon McCauley
Deon McCauley, Midfielder, Verdes F.C.
“Those kinds of things happen in football, I mean one day you can win a game and the other day you can lose a game. At the end of the day you just have to stay mentally focused and know what the job is that the coach wants you to do. Our team has always been together and, you know, we never gave up hope because we knew that we have a good team and we know that we could have come out here and win tonight and we showed that. You know, we dominated the whole game and I think that the team is deserving of winning today.”
For Stempel, a return game in Panama simply means that San Francisco will need to regroup in order to make good on their home advantage.
Gary Stempel
“This is a different tournament for the league and we’ve got one game left. It’s obvious that people that are more happy than anybody else is the team from Mexico, Queretaro and this is the result they wanted. And with the goal difference that they have they all seem to be the most favored. And so the next game that we have at home, for us, we have no chance of qualifying but, you know, we obviously have to finish the round and try to get a little bit of pride back.”
As previously mentioned, striker McCauley missed a straightforward opportunity to put Verdes up three goals to one. He explains the wasted prospect.
Deon McCauley
“Just a stroke of bad luck I think, you know, the ball hit the crossbar and came out back, you know I didn’t expect it, you know. I already outpaced the keeper and I expected the ball to go in the goal but that’s how it goes sometimes. You have to appreciate what you have and what you don’t have.”
Reporter
“And you’re moving on to Panama now for this upcoming match, what is the strategy going forward in that game?”
Deon McCauley
“Well, we just have to take it one day at a time. I know that the coaches will go back to the drawing board, you know. We have a game on Sunday and, you know, we have to focus on that. One game at a time and when the game against Panama comes I know that we will be ready as a team and we will go out there and do our best.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
