Yabra wins BFL opening marathon

Good evening I’m James Adderly and you’re right on time for this fresh serving of Sports Monday. The BFL kicked off the 2000 football season with the 12-team marathon package Sunday at the MCC Grounds.

It would have been a more entertaining for fans had the league utilized a real public address system in between games. But the San Pedro Dolphins, Caye Caulker, Real Verdes, Juventus of Orange Walk, Belmopan Bandits and newcomer Lagio Jumex would have had little use for that since they were all eliminated in the very first round play.

We pick up the action in the second round with a replay of last year’s championship game as Sagitun of Independence looks to move on against Griga Tropical of Dangriga. There’s an urgency for goals in this 30-minute package, so goleador Bent Burgess moves in for the kill only his ribs get bashed by the knee of the Griga goalkeeper and he would have to exit on a stretcher. He would be back in the ballgame.

Sagitun responds with this offensive play down the middle of the Griga defense, but the shot is saved by the keeper and at the end we’re scoreless. So we go to overtime, which also resulted in a stalemate forcing penalty kicks. We’re into sudden death penalty, when this Griga player finds the crossbar busting the door wide open for Sagitun, who send for Wilhelm Coe and this right foot punch, gives Sagitun the big W to move onto the semi-final round.

We now join the battle between Acros Bombers and newcomer Metro Stars, both out of Belize City. But it’s the Bombers with the opportunity to make the first strike, only they’d rather hurt the goalkeeper. When the Stars do get their chance at goal, this wicked right away push puts them on the scoreboard and its gives them a pass to move on.

Meanwhile, Kulture Yabra go to this brand new midfielder Freddie Tun for conversion of this spotkick against Juventun Benquena, but the Jube keeper comes up with the save. Donnie Tun then centres to Norman “Tilliman” Nunez, who fails to finish with the header. This is Nunez again from point blank range, but the only price he exacts right here, is against the body of the keeper. On this press Nunez gets taken down by the keeper inside the box. The penalty call is made and Vallan Simms makes it look easy as Yabra moves on.

So it’s three teams into the semi-finals and Yabra gets the bye forcing Sagitun and Metro Stars, who can only be described as over achievers today. The two teams are in a shootout to get into the championship game. Sagitun goes quickly on the attack with this vicious header from the Brazilian, but the Metro Stars keeper hangs tough, as the decision must be made from the penalty spot.

This misfire from Hall turns out to be costly for the Metro Stars because the very next Sagitun kicker Robbie Cadle converts and the Brazilian import steps up to get the win for Sagitun. So its Yabra and Sagitun in the championship match up. The Brazilian deals and this pretty splice puts the Independence team up one-zip.

On this corner kick Yabra’s new addition Mark “Kelo” Leslie finds himself in the right place at the right time and the score is tied at one apiece. Yabra takes the lead when Marcelino Tun catches up with this spot for this wicked header that crashes into the net. Sagitun comes back when Slusher’s attempt to push out his corner cause his defence to foul the ball. The Brazilian makes no mistake with the conversion for the 2-2 tie.

It’s the closing moments of the ballgame when Paulie Bradley finds Tilliman Nunez and it’s the game winner despite the furious protest by the Sagitun players and fans, who thought the goal was offside. The win nevertheless goes to Yabra and we say congrats.

We also got to tell you at this point that the football season comes back on track on September 24th, so it’s a two week wait for you people who simply can’t wait. Turning to softball news, we got to tell you that international softball comes to Rogers Stadium this weekend. It begins on Thursday with two games against the national female team for a weekend of competition against our best players. Two more games are planned for Saturday, and on Sunday one game is scheduled to be staged at Camalote. We are going to keep you posted, that’s it for now.