Juventus lead 1st round of playoffs
Good evening, I?m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. With the National Football Team having returned from the World Cup qualifiers at Canada, the Regent Insurance Cup Playoff kicked off in earnest over the weekend. Yesterday at the People?s Stadium, the number two seed in this four-team playoffs, Juventus of Orange Walk, held court against the number three seed, Builders Hardware Bandits of Belmopan.
The host team gets off to a roaring start with this centre from Raul Celiz, but Charlie Slusher does enough to quell the threat.
It?s more Juventus off this spot kick into the danger zone, but Christopher Hendrix can?t get enough on the header to make it count.
Meanwhile folks, we simply can?t understand how Juventus comes away empty-handed after these two open looks from point-blank range but c?est la vie, c?est la vie.
The Bandits finally look threatening when Lincoln Wiltshire deals to Dean Flowers, who falls down at the most inopportune time.
Again, it?s another miss for Juventus from point-blank range when Rubiel Mendoza?s launch is intercepted in front of an empty goal by Kenneth Budna.
Of course, after this play, one could safely conclude that Juventus really is not focussed on scoring today.
However, they?d be dead wrong because when Mendez finds Oliver Hendricks his left-foot low cruise missile crashes into the nets for the 1-zip O.W. lead thirty-five minutes into the ballgame.
Oliver then fires this long-range bomb at Charlie Slusher in search of his second of the match, but Slusher prevails on this one.
By the way, Christopher, we agree it?s a handball but penalty is a decision only, and I stress only, the referee can make, so stay focused…and at the half, it?s a 1-zip Juventus lead.
The Bandits come out of intermission with new resolve ? so Benavides find, Dean Flowers who squanders the Bandits? best scoring opportunity.
Then it?s Derys?s Benavides?s turn to come away empty from in front of Juventus?s goal.
At the other end, Charlie Slusher gets beaten, but Smart Osomuiri digs it out to keep the deficit at one.
Meanwhile folks, we don?t know what Marlin Teck is thinking, but he certainly ends up setting up Daniel Thomas perfectly for this right foot push that gives Juventus a 2-zip lead with ten minutes to go in the ballgame.
The Bandits furiously try to respond, but this shot from Edmund ?The Buzzard? Pandy is directly at Geovanni Rodriguez, no sweat.
When the long whistle blows it brings Juventus a 2-zip big W in game one of the Regents Cup playoffs which, features a double elimination format in this four-team series which will add up to some six weeks.
Down in Dangriga, the other playoff match saw Sagitun edge out Griga United on penalties after a 1-1 tie through overtime play.
Thus after week one, Juventus leads with three points, Sagitun shows one, while Griga and the Bandits have no points to show after game one.
This Saturday finds Juventus at Sagitun; that?s at Independence, while the Bandits will host Griga United inside the Isidoro Beaton Stadium inside the capital city.
In cycling news, The Father?s Day Cycling Classic staged yesterday on the Western Highway by the Belize Amateur of Cycling Association saw forty-two riders register for the elite category in this eighty-five mile ride that left Benque Viejo and finished inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Ernest Meighan had the opportunity to show off his sprinting skills to take top honours, Guatemalan Rudy Espache who did the yeoman?s work of pacing, he took second, Douglas Lamb third, Rafael Choto of Cayo fourth, while Ariel Rosado rounds out the top five.
In the junior division, Marlon Castillo took top honours, Giovanni Choto second, and Carlos Guerra, he finished third.
Checking in on the cricket scene, two back matches were concluded yesterday as regular season whines down in the Harrison Park?s National Cricket Tournament. Sunrise crushed Construction Eleven 142-424, while Surprise grounded Western Eagles but we don?t have the numbers to show. In zone one, the playoff teams have already emerged though. Berland is the number one seed, Wicked Eleven is the number two seed. Over in zone two it?s most likely to be Sunrise and Surprise into the fourth season.
Meanwhile, arriving in Belize today was Grand Dougmore from the International Cricket Council, and we asked him what his mission to the jewel was.
Grant Dougmore, International Cricket Council
?The primary reason is it?s my first visit to Belize to see how things are going with cricket here, and part of the visit will be to make an assessment and a judgment based on improving Belize?s status and membership status with the International Cricket Council.?
James Adderley
?Is it resultant from Belize?s performance in the recently held international competition??
Grant Dougmore
?Yeah, Belize?s performance in Panama was very, very good and they ended third in that tournament, and it?s part of the reason. But to achieve an upgrade in status with the International Cricket Council takes a lot of work rather than in just one tournament and the local association have over the pass few years been putting a lot of work into the development of this sport here, especially amongst the youth. So it?s a combination of grass roots development and the international team doing very well in Panama.?
Well there you have it folks, and hopefully Belize will be an integral part of the International Cricket Council, making Belizean cricket fans certainly proud. Okay folks, that?s our show for today. We certainly invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
