B.P.F.L. kicks off season with marathon
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening, I?m James Adderley welcoming you to this package of Sports Monday. It?s been a long time coming–well it?s finally here, Semi-Pro football is back. On Saturday at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium home of the defending champion, Sagitun, the B.P.F.L. (Belize Premier Football League) launched the annual Regents Cup Season with the traditional marathon package.
Sporting a brand new look and a brand new name, the boys from the West are back calling themselves Cayo Avengers.
Former champion Kulture Yabra of Belize City reaffirms its Kulture colours in 2005; the San Pedro Seahawks return in red and white; the defending champion Sagitun sticks to its blue and white tradition. Juventus of Orange Walk adapts the Peach colour for the New Year; Calcuta Bulls also displays its version of blue and white; Kremamandala Lake comes out battling in black and white and Print Belize Griga in full green rounds out the eight teams in this year?s B.P.F.L. title hunt.
After the official opening ceremonies concluded, Game I finds Griga and San Pedro in action and this spot kick almost gives the Islanders a one goal lead except for the heroics of the Southern keeper.
Folks, we want to know how comes Landi Pinelo forgives the Dangriga keeper for this fumble, but he does.
At the other end Griga gets its best shot at the scoreboard but the San Pedro defence stands firm.
We?re late into the second twenty-five numbers when young David Trapp fires this monster blast off the set piece to give San Pedro a 1-zip lead.
New Island player Deon Fraizer, should have made it two nil right, but he misses the target. Nevertheless the one nil holds up as the Printery becomes the first unit to pack it up.
Meanwhile, Game II matches two teams from Orange Walk: Juventus of Sugar City and the Calcutta Bulls.
The three time champion Juventus quickly establishes its dominance and how they come up empty from this point-blank range is indeed troubling if you?re the manager.
Of course, success is measured by goals and it?s Oliver Hendricks who gives the Bulls the lead with this potent half volley.
However, early in second half Juventus comes up with the equalizer as Itamar Castellanos finds himself at the right time at the right place to push the pill home.
Right off the kick off, the Sugar City squad should have made a two to one score but they get turned away by the keeper.
Now here comes trouble for the Bulls. Goalkeeper Venancio Sutherland puts a hurt on this striker and the referee rules penalty. Oliver Hendricks, valiantly disagrees with the call for which he is chased off the pitch.
Goalkeeper Charlie Slusher steps up for Juventus of Orange Walk to convert the penalty kick. He does it again, Sutherland in too easy a fashion.
No here?s what we call compounding an error. Sutherland still seething from the previous call really reacts like a schoolyard bully on this striker for which he is rightly plucked off the field of play. Juventus moves on the Bulls exit to pasture.
Game III finds the City team Kulture Yabra taking on the Cayo Avengers and in the opening minute almost capitalizes off this defensive error.
Hey, Norman Tilliman Nunez a technical quickly made it impossible for us to show your goal, but it is Nunez being congratulated here for giving Yabra a 1-zip lead.
In the meantime, we must ask Emory Nunez if he meant to put this ball where it crashes into the net as Yabra takes a two goal lead into intermission.
In second half the Avengers try to come back but fail to impress the scoreboard with this press.
Talk about being unattended inside the area. Well number fifteen Jerome Jones gets just that opportunity and he uses it to give Yabra a 3-zip lead and that?s the way it ended.
This brings us to the final match of the first round and it seems Sagitun boss Tony Zabaneh is pumped up going up against Kremamandala Lake of Belize City. So let?s see what transpires on the pitch.
The Lake comes out firing as David McCauley Sr. finds the back of the net to give his team a two minute lead. The defending champion tries to come up with the reply immediately, but the Lake hangs tough.
People we?re some eight minutes into second half of the fifty minutes when this centre finds the head of Elroy Kuylen. He heads it home for the tie.
However, four minutes later that Wily Veteran David McCauley pulls out this wonderful left foot strike for his second goal of the match. That now gives the Lake a two- one lead.
People it?s in the last minute of regulation when Hilberto Muschamp beats the keeper to tap into an empty goal forcing the two-two tie and penalty kicks.
We?re tied at two goals apiece in penalty kicking when Maurice Francis converts for Krem. The gives the W to the Belize City team.
In playoff action Juventus ousted Kulture Yabra on penalty kick while the San Pedro Seahawks eliminated Krem Amandala in similar fashion. We take this opportunity nevertheless to congratulate the San Pedro Seahawks who defeated Juventus 2-zip on goal from Orlando Pinelo and Jairo Sandro ball to grab the 2005 BPFL Regent Cup 2005 Marathon Title.
Meanwhile, regular season gets underway this weekend with Sagitun hosting Krem at the Michael Ashcroft on Saturday. On Sunday Cayo Avengers come to town seeking out Kulture Yabra. Juventus will be inside the friendly confines of the People?s Stadium in a struggle against the Calcutta Bulls while Print Belize plays post to marathon champion, San Pedro, at the Karl Ramos Stadium. Make sure you enjoy semi pro football.
That?s it for now. Hey we want to thank our cameramen for their great work over the weekend. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.
