B.D.F. loses to Nizhee Corozal in football semifinals
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’ve just logged on to what we call Sports Monday.
We take you to the M.C.C. Grounds where yesterday that vaunted venue was invaded by a pumped up posse from the north who came to see if Nizhee Corozal could send the Belize Defence Force packing in game two after devastating the military in game one of this semi-final two game series with a 3-1 bang. And indeed it couldn’t have been a better start for the home side when in the opening minute of the ballgame this attempted header leads to quite an unexpected shoulder goal by Deon Frazier and the B.D.F. is just down a goal in the series. The visitors respond off this set piece triggered by el matador Julio Valle and poor defending by the B.D.F. almost brings a tie to the ballgame. Again, Julio Valle looks for the equalizer off the set piece only this time the launch is right at goalkeeper Gilbert Swaso. We’re twenty-three minutes in when this spot kick from midfield is kept alive by Valle, Clifton West beats Swaso to the pill and we have a 1-1 ballgame as the B.D.F. falls to a two goal deficit in the series. By the way folks, maybe someone should tell Paul Nunez that he is to head the ball not the player for which he gets a yellow card that could have been red. Nevertheless, the military retains its focus on the match and when super-striker Deon McCauley gets this look at goal, he is expected to convert but does not and at the half we have a 1-1 situation.
We’re eight minutes into resumption of play when Julio Valle finds Clifton West with this beauty but West misses the target. In the meantime, Erwin Bird Flores on defense for the military takes down Clifton West inside the eighteen and guess what he gets away with it. At the fifty-eighth minute in this ballgame, Sergio Villanueva works himself into this shot opportunity, the ball rebounds on Swaso who tries to get it out of the goal twice but Villanueva gets the goal anyway for the 2-1 Corozal lead. Folks Wilhelm Locho Coyi is a steady veteran but his defensive error gives Villanueva another shot at goal only this time Swaso intervenes successfully. At the other end, Dennis Serano is taken down by peter Canul inside the box and referee Williams rules penalty. Deon McCauley steps up and beats Benito Moreira easily for the 2-2 tie but the military still remains two goals down in the series. At the eighty-third minute of the ballgame Clifton West puts the nail in the B.D.F. coffin with this wonderful individual effort that gives Corozal a 3-2 lead. It’s a beaten B.D.F. three minutes later that allows Sergio Villanueva to make it a 4-2 big W for Nizhee Corozal which means the military loses the series in a 7-3 finish while Corozal becomes the first team to make it to the championship round inside the Regent’s Cup playoffs.
In the meantime, the other finalist is expected to emerge tomorrow, Tuesday the seventeenth inside Dangriga when F.C. Belize faces Llagulei in game two of their series. F.C. goes into Dangriga with a one goal lead. Will it be enough?
Turning to the Super League of Soccer, action in week ten saw San Felipe bomb Barrio Fino 4-1, Lake-Collet Survivors handled Lucky Strike by that very same score, Texmar Boys edged Valley Renaissance 3-2, Tsunami and Kraal Road battled to a three all stalemate out at theyc aye and Cayo South blanked Western Rebels 3-zip.
In week eleven Texmar Boys will host Lake-Collet Survivors and Kraal Road will get a visit from Cayo South; both matches are set for this Saturday. On Sunday Lucky Strike will host San Felipe Barcelona, Western Rebels take aim at Valley Renaissance out west and Tsunami travels to Ricalde Stadium to Barrio Fino Corozal.
Checking in on the Yabra Community Base football tournament on Saturday, Brown Bombers beat St. Johns School 5-2, Vianney Primary stopped Jah-Love 2-zip and in the under fifteen nightcap Yabra stopped Fabers Road 3-nil. On Sunday Poor and Famous edged Jah-Love 3-2.
In basketball news, Maxi basket at the City Center yesterday saw Classic Purex roll over Orange Walk Running Rebels 58-41. James Tanga Sutherland led the way with twenty-one points. He also pull down seven rebounds while Calvert Quilter threw up thirteen points in the W. For O.W. Lloyd Sutherland had twelve points and eight rebounds and Kenneth Dawson also hit twelve points in that loss. In the meantime, Old Technical Rebels routed B.W.S. Bulls 54-38 and again Rico Black had the hot hand striking of sixteen points to lead his team. Doug Penland posted thirteen points, ten boards in the big W. For Bulls Darren Bovell, that wildly veteran, played big in the loss with fourteen points and eight rebounds.
In other action over the weekend, Old Cemetery edged Maria Chang 48-44 and Alberts crushed Belmopan 70-53. On Sunday’s schedule Classic Purex takes on takes on B.W.S. Bulls, winless Belmopan goes up against O.W. Running Rebels, Undefeated Old Technical battles winless Maria Chang and 4 and zero Alberts will face three and one Old Cemetery and this will be a big one.
Finally folks, in the C.S.S.S.A. Basketball competition inside the City Center Saturday in female play Gwen Liz beat Wesley 33-16 and St. Michaels routed Nazarene High School 28-5. In male play it’s Wesley over Gwen Liz 62-55 which Nazarene scorched St. Michael’s 60-59.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today but before we go we wanna say happy Garifuna Day to the entire nation of Belize. That’s it for now. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
