Guatemala tops Belize in Nation?s Cup Football
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening I?m James Adderley with this fat dish of Sports Monday. The Belize National Football team is currently participating in UNCAF?s Nation?s Cup Tournament and in their first appearance Saturday night, they were matched up against the host team Guatemala.
And yes, the pre-game pomp and circumstances did pay lead to the national dignity of our beautiful Jewel inside the Mateos Peoples Stadium.
The host team opened fast and looks for the quick goal off this corner kick but Shane Moody confidentially intervenes.
In fact in the early going Shane Moody is ahead by his team to mount a super human effort and he does for the most part.
We?re fifteen minutes into the first half when Edwin Villatoro fires in heavy traffic to beat Moody as Guatemala takes a 1-zip lead.
That lead hold up to intermission and it?s two and a half minutes into second half when Norman Tilliman Nunez serves up this beauty to Harrison Roaches but Roaches certainly takes too long to fire.
Our team gets another chance to tie the ballgame when Elroy Smith attacks off the left wing but his punch crashes into the side netting. This cause much concern Para Los Chapines and they look to extends the lead on this press and would have except for the timely intervention of the one called Shane Moody.
At the other end folks Belize shows quality football on this charge only to see Trevor Leman squander a golden opportunity to tie the ballgame and the follow up by Elroy Smith is blocked.
Certainly the Belize defence should have cleared this ball but they allow Juan Carlos Plata to take a shot from point-blank rage–but Super Shane makes a super save.
Hey coach Anthony Adderley, we need a goal–maybe its time to shuffle the deck.
However, Lady Luck deals in favour of Guatemala when this ball hits Jarbi Alvarez?s right hand inside the area and the referee whistles for a penalty kick.
The Guats send for Juan Carlos Plata. The left foot beats Moody as the Belizean deficit doubles and that?s the way it ended in Game I of this tourney for our national team. Belize is grouped with Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua and as it stands now Honduras has three points after beating Nicaragua. Guatemala has three points while both Nicaragua and Belize are without points. Belize faced the heavily favoured Honduran team at three thirty this afternoon and Belize has been defeated by Honduras four nil in the Nation?s Cup Play.
In local football news, the Regent?s Cup saw Kremandala Lake hosting Calcutta Bulls at MCC Grounds yesterday in the only match on the schedule because of UNCAF play.
In a lacklustre affair we had to wait until some fifteen minutes before we could discern a highlight and maybe Dion McCauley should have done better with this chance.
The bulls look to steal the lead off this spot kick from Eduardo El Gigante Perez but Derol Roaches intervenes.
It?s another spot kick for the Bulls who again turn to El Gigante Perez but it?s another big time game for goalkeeper Roaches.
Downfield Daniel McCauley Sr. gets to launch this left foot at Giovanny Rodriguez who concedes the corner.
On this possession the Bulls Kenrick Pelayo gets this clear look at goal but his leader is directly at the goalkeeper.
Truth is folks for ninety minutes of play neither team had done enough to deserve a goal and they settled for a scoreless draw.
In the meantime Week six in the Regents Cup remains as scheduled. Sagitun will host Print Belize Griga. Kremandala Lake travels to Cayo Avengers. Calcutta Bulls will be at home against the San Pedro Seahawks and Kulture Yabra clashes with Juventus.
In cycling news, here?s the start of the female speed race staged on the Western Highway on Saturday by the Belize Cycling Association and there are five bidders in this event.
At the turn around point at mile ten Ana Marie Bennett, Shalini Zabaneh and Fiona Humes do control the paste while Amelita Knowles stays within striking distance.
We fast-forward to the finish and it?s Amelita Knowles in total control to take top honours in uncontested in uncontested fashion.
Here comes the sprint for second and its Shalini Zabaneh burning Anamarie Bennett while Fiona Humes pulls up third. The next female race is set for Saturday February twenty-sixth.
In the Police and Community Cycling Classic which ran from the Sandhill Police Station to the Crooked Tree on Sunday Edmund Cahmal took top honours. Leonard Garbutt settled for second while Kurt Thomas pulled up third.
Turning to the basketball scene the King of the Ballers tournament opened at the Big Birds Isle Friday night with all four teams seeing action.
We join Game II between the Belize Airport Flyers and the Blackballers and it?s the Postman Vince Estrada delivering for the Airport by going to the back.
The Blackballers reply comes when Kevin Seroki finds Kevin Breman who strikes for three.
We?re still in the first half when the Postman picks Arthur Neal?s pocket and finds Kelvin Gillette who gets the easy two.
Downcourt Superman Keith Acosta looks for three and gets it with string music and at the half Blackballers are up by six.
Folks we?re not sure if this was the original intention by Leroy Forbes but chalk up the alley up two points for Keith Acosta.
For the Airport Paul Swasey goes physical as he bulls through the heart of the Blackballers defence for two points.
It?s a close ballgame when Kevin Bramon beats his man with the crossover for two points to make it a six point Blackballers lead.
With three minutes to go Kelvin Gillette cuts the deficit to three with this big time move. Gillette misses the attempt for the extra point but the put back by Paul Swasey is good and the airport take a one point lead.
Vince the Postman then delivers for the airport from long distance to make it a four point lead with one minute and twenty-two seconds to go.
Down by three with twenty-seven second to go, the Ballers find Kevin Seroki and he ties the ballgame at fifty-eight apiece with this monster three.
Here?s the game in a nutshell. Kirk Burgess commits this turn over so the Ballers found Keith Acosta who is fouled hard by Kevin Gillette with two seconds to go.
Acosta hits the first and that?s all he need to give the Blackballers a fifty-nine big win. The action continues this Friday night at the Big Bird?s Isle.
Hey that?s if for now. We want to thank our cameramen for their great work over the weekend. We invite you to join us next week same time, same place. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
