Grigamandala takes opener in football finals
Good evening I’m James Adderly and you’re right on time for this latest serving of Sports Monday. The Regent Millennium Cup Championship 3 game series got off at Dangriga yesterday, as Grigamandala hosted Sagitun of Independence. Fans from all over the country crowded the Carl Ramos Stadium for Game I. Bent Burgess tries to give the Independence fans a quick goal, but Stanley Reneau beats him to the punch.
Now keep your eyes on Sagitun defender Diego Swazo, who uses his hands on this stop – we go to the slo-mo because Ruperto Vincente rules penalty and we’re only 5 minutes in.
Grigamandala sends for their captain Nelson Moss and he leads them to a 1-zip advantage with this conversion. Of course this is money time and Sagitun looks for the equalizer when Raul Celiz fires from point blank range, only it wasn’t enough to beat Stanley Reneau. Sagitun stays with the program nevertheless and Bent Burgess goes to the aerial attack only he can’t get the header past Reneau.
Now tell me folks, isn’t this too much from Francis Arzu and for sure he should know better – so he pays for it. Meanwhile Sagitun continues to dominate the ballgame and Rabbi Cadle should have tied the score here, instead he allows goalkeeper Reneau to shine.
For Rabbi Cadle his worst outing couldn’t have come at a worst time as again he comes up empty, squandering this pretty push from Benedict Lopez. On the very next play Bent Burgess gets a chance to score, but today Stanley Reneau is world class.
At the other end, Grigamandala finally mounts some offence, but Mark Leslie fails to beat Darren Hinds. And at the half its 1-nil Griga lead. At the half, Anthony Michael of the BFL explained the playoff format, which has been giving a whole lot of people problems.
Anthony Michael, Co-Commissioner, BFL
“It’s a 3 game championship. The team that wins the first 2 games, automatically win the championship for 1999-2000. There must be a winner in each game. In regular time, once there is a draw, the team will go into 15 minutes overtime. Whoever scores first within that overtime, automatically wins the game. If there is no winner at the end of that overtime, they will go into a 5 penalty shootout or then sudden death penalty shootout.”
James Adderly
“It doesn’t matter if you win by overtime or penalty, it means you’ll win the ballgame regardless?”
Anthony Michael
“Regardless of what, you will pick up 3 points. There must be a winner regardless of how you win it. If you win in penalty shoot out in this game, and the 2nd game down in Sagitun, and you should win in regular time, you still get 3 points. So there will be a 3rd game.”
James Adderly
“Confirm for us where the 3rd game will be.”
Anthony Michael
“The 3rd game will be played at the MCC Grounds at 3:30 in the afternoon.”
In 2nd half action Dangriga attacks immediately off this spot kick, but the Sagitun defense repels this aerial assault. Downfield David Torres fires this grass burning missile, but again Stanley Reneau scoops it up.
At the other end Malakai Nolberto gets the run he wants, but launches a shot that takes to the sky. It’s more Dangriga when Lennox Mejia pushes to Francis Arzu – only Darren Hinds comes up with a better play.
For a 2nd time in the ballgame Nolberto gets a good look at goal and this time his thrust is foiled by the wily Hinds. It’s getting late and Sagitun ups the pressure only Julio Valle can’t hit the target.
Derys Benanides feels he deserves a penalty here, but Ruperto Vincente is not buying at this time. Sagitun gets another shot immediately, only Benedict Lopez unleashes a high one. This time down its Bent Burgess with the shot, but even he is denied by Reneau.
It’s all Sagitun now and Julio Valle gets set perfectly, but he tarries too long and gets denied a shot by Peter Mariano. Unfortunately for Sagitun, this run by Francis Arzu allows him to find Danny Diego and Grigamandala takes Game I with a 2-zip W.
Nelson Moss, Captain, Grigamandala
“This team gave us a run for our money today. They were offensively strong today and they surprised us because they dominated us in midfield, but we held out strong in the back.”
James Adderly
“What will happen after such serious trouble when you go to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium next week?”
Nelson Moss
“Well one thing we know, is that the pressure is on them. Our job is half way done and all we have to do is lose it out.”
Anthony Adderly, Coach, Grigamandala
“Yes James, it was a hard one. I think we came in a bit soft today, thinking that because we have always won here against Sagitun that we did not need to play as hard as we used to. But as soon as the tempo started to pick up, my fellows began to pick up a little bit, but the wetness of the field, hurt us a bit. We weren’t practicing on this wet field, so our middle didn’t have that opportunity to hold that ball a lot.”
Bent Burgess, Striker, Sagitun
“We came into this game with a lot of enthusiasm to win this game. We had a lot of opportunities in the first half and also in the second half, but we didn’t cultivate anything.”
James Adderly
“You set table about 3 different times, at 3 different individuals, does that take away something from your game today?”
Bent Burgess
“Yes, it took a lot of courage, but I will still hold up my head. Next week we are going home and I believe we can win the game home.”
Game II moves to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium, Independence on Saturday night and that will be our Regent Football Game of the Week.
In softball, here are the results from over the weekend. CTC mashed Acros 5-3, Royal Devils, took out Vikings 16-3 and Rookies knocked off Lords Bank Sunrise 10-zip. Folks for the first time ever, two teams defaulted in a league. We are going to be keeping you abreast of this particular development, it’s of historic proportions we should say.
Finally in volleyball news over the weekend: in female division, Lady Jaguars knocked off Benny’s 26-24, 25-21, 15-25, 25-23. In firms division play, it was Barclays Eagles flying pass Christ Crusader 25-23, 18-25, 18-26. Continental Flyers, did a number on John 3:16 16-25, 28-26, 15-09. In the male division, it was AMS Jaguars knocking off Texaco Belize 25-23, 27-25, 25-15.
