Belize’s match-up with El Salvador ends in 2-1 loss
If you are a football fan, chances are you tuned into the live coverage of the Belize National Team’s face off with its El Salvadoran counterpart. Tonight we have the pleasure of James Adderley’s company as he shares the highlights of a game that ended in disappointment, but still managed to invoke patriotic pride.
James Adderley, Reporting
We’re inside the Cuscatlan Stadium, San Salvador for the opening match in this year’s UNCAF tournament. And it’s a massive crowd that has turned out to urge on the national football team of El Salvador as they play host to their Belizean counterparts, led on to the field by Orland Lyons.
The Salvadorans look to take the early lead from off this set piece outside the eighteenth, but Quintanilla’s left foot punch is intercepted by our very own international from Costa Rica, Shane Orio.
Marino of El Salvador then moves Ryan Simpson out of the way to launch this long distance missile that, in the end, only serves to make Orio look good.
The hometown almost moves the scoreboard off this defensive error, but Orio makes the save.
Here’s the subsequent corner kick. The offensive header hits the far upright, Juan Diaz finds the pill, and El Salvador goes up one zip some twenty-five minutes in.
The Salvador team continues to dominate and to press. And let’s just say thank you to Shane Orio in goal for the jewel.
Hey folks, this shot from off the left wing shows that this boy Shane is a bad man in goal.
Just keeper gives up the pill to Deon McCauley who tries the floater, but it inches over the crossbar. At the half it’s 1-zip in favour of El Salvador.
In the meantime, if you’re a baller you must admire this wicked pass that puts Shane Orio in serious jeopardy, but the finishing by the Salvadorans is lacking.
Some fifteen minutes after resumption of play, this centre allows Eliseo Quintanilla to head home goal number two for the host.
Note this change in the line up people, Derys Benavides replaces Kafu Roches because we’re down 2-zip. However, there’s no quitting for Belize tonight. Kareem Haylock centres, Cristobal Gilharry sets table for Derys Benavides and his bender makes coach Viera look like a genius as Belize gets on the scoreboard.
A few minutes later, Gilharry almost ties the ballgame with this power punch, but this time the keeper gets that necessary touch.
This forces the Salvador team to give up some respect and play more cautious football, so Quintanilla tries to reinstate the two goal lead, but not this time.
And so at the end of regulation, El Salvador hangs on to the 2-1 victory.
For team Belize, the hunt for win number one continues Saturday night when they face Guatemalan and then Belize comes out to play against Nicaragua on Monday. So stayed tuned, because win, lose or draw I am a Belizean and I know you are too. This is James Adderley reporting for News Five.
