James Adderley breaks down the weekend sporting news
james adderley
Good evening I’m James Adderly bursting out another portion of Sport’s Monday.
The foot community of Belize might be in disarray at this time but it certainly did not prevent the National Football Team as selected by the recently ratified Football Federation of Belize from competing in the Copa Centro Americano being staged by UNCAF at Panama. At stake is a pass to CONCACAF’s Gold Cup, a competition that Belize has never qualified to participate in, despite numerous attempts.
We’re inside the Estadio Roumel Fernandez Friday night as out National Team opens against the host team and defending champion Panama. Very quickly the Panamanians go offensive as this center off the right wing provides the perfect opportunity to open the scoreboard but Robert Brown blows it.
It’s Panama fully in control when Belize gets this opportunity against the run of play as David McCauley fires this potent right foot bomb that is handles by goal keeper Jaime Ponodo. We’re 21 minutes in when Ricardo Bulfrago finds Edwin Aguilar with this corner kick and the header gives Panama a 1-zip lead. 7 minutes later poor defensive positioning by the Black Jaguars allows Panama to have their way inside the box and Roberto Brown beats Shane Orio to make it a 2-zip score and no folks – its not an offside goal.
Brown then gets the opportunity for a 2nd goal when Aguilar sets him up perfectly but this time Shane Orio denies the Panamanian. Orio would be asked to make much more saves in this one. At the half the Jewel in down 2-zip. When the action resumes Adolfo Mechado picks out Brown with this long throw in but Orio goes to work. At the other end Orlando Jimenez gets this ball into the deeper zone and for a 2nd time in the match Deon McCauley fails to convert a scoring opportunity. Of course Shane Orio continues to work hard in defense of Belize goal. On this play, Orio is well positioned in goal and he does make the save. Panama goes on to post the 2-zip victory and while we didn’t win, we were not disgraced.
We now check in on last night’s match against El Salvador and again Belize fall victim to a poor start. We’re only 15 minutes in when William Romero gets this pass off the left wing to beat Shane Orio and open the scoreboard. Nevertheless enjoy this fine save from Shane Orio as Romero aims for the far post off the set piece. Right off the subsequent corner kick Orio has to make another big time save and we do dodge a bullet right here. Make it 2 nil when the defense fails to clear this ball that Rafael Burgos pounces on to shake the net at the 25th minute.
At the other end Daniel Jimenez threads this ball to Deon McCauley and indeed he should have pulled one back right here. Meanwhile off this corner kick launched by Elroy Smith Belize gets a penalty call but the cameras didn’t pick it up. Smith, the designated penalty kicker steps up and Belize gets on the scoreboard, the 1st goal for Belize in the tournament. At the half the score is 2 to 1 in favor of El Salvador.
Check this out folks, we’re only 17 seconds into the 2nd half when Rafael Burgos beats the defense down field and he makes it a 3-1 ballgame. At the 54th minute, Jaime Alas catches up with this center off the right wing and Salvador goes up to 4 to 1. 5 minutes later Alas turns provides for Doris Umanyor who makes it a 5-1 score. At the 76th minute Belize pulls one back off this set piece as Elroy Smith finds Orlando Jimenez whose header makes it a 5-2 ballgame and that’s the way it ended.
Belize now faces Nicaragua tomorrow to conclude its schedule at the Copa Centro Americano. Win, lose or draw, I’m a Belizean – but I ain’t holding my breath.
Turning to the cycling scene the Belie Cycling Association presented the first Saturday race on the 2011 calendar featuring 49 riders that included elite and masters. They’re off… The Jr. Riders side 17 riders participated in the 26 mile ride from Belize City to Hattieville and back. By the time we reach outside the turn around point at Hattieville, the break has been established by this 12 man break which includes Mark Staine, Wilbert Jones, Deandi Ordonez, Geon Hanson, Tariq Cano, Raymond Hyde, Darnell Barrow, Michael Lewis, Santi Castillo and George Abraham Jr. Of course the chase group lead by Gregory Lovell remains within striking distance.
The break remains solid as they hug the curve that will lead them right back to the city. A minute 6 seconds behind the chase group make its grand entrance around the curve. Around mile 3 we find a depleted lead pack now only featuring Abraham Jr., Cano, Lewis, Staine, Hanson, Ordonez and Santi Castillo. We’re at the finish line in front of Leslie’s Imports and the sprint is already into full swing. On the right side of your screen Hanson grabs the lead momentarily but had to give way Deandi Ordonez – both riders get off their saddle for the big push and its Deandi Ordonez of C. Ray who grabs the big win.
In a race that averaged 24.6 M.P.H Geon Hanson of Indeco settles for 2nd, Mark Staine of Benny’s Megabytes takes 3rd while Santino the chief Castillo impresses with his 4th place finish and Big Mike Lewis riding unattached rounds out the top 5.
On the Jr. side here is Joel Borland of team Indeco winning this class in uncontested fashion in a time of 1:14:19. Zahir Figueroa of Cayo Uprising rolls in unchallenged for 2nd. Now here’s the heated sprint for 3rd place and it’s Cattouse with the blaze of speed to take that position. Incidentally folks, no prizes were issued because the race was not completed under an hour as demanded by the BCA. So, the Saturday races continue this weekend of January 22nd and the next big event comes up on February 13th to the 16th annual DigiCell Valentines Cycle Classic.
In basketball news, Saturday win the senior competition at Orange Walk King Ballers edged ballers 71 to 67 as Randy usher led the way with 26 points while Ian Carcamo added 15 points in the win. Calbert Carcamo hit 19 and Brandon McKoy 14 points in the loss. In Games II, Top Shattas burned Nothern Uprising 56 to 54.
In closing folks, we give a shout out to our boy Rosdele Ellis, a member of the Washington DC Legend hall and a former football great in Belize. Buya then folks that’s our show.
Jah Overall, I’m James Adderley.
As long as we have chimilio as president this will continue to happen in our beloved country, its time for the gov to intervene even if it cost us to be banned from FIFA for a yr. note this happened in Costa Rica and after a reform was done they qualified to the world cup. We need a Change people and we are crying for it. and for selecting players, i am sure we have better players all around the country just that a good selection has to be done. if we have seen it been almost the same players over and over in every tournament that gets called. so wake up belize and voice up.
its a shame to see our national team..especially the first half of the game with Panama..Shane worked hard but the defense were too lazy to get the ball from their opponent, what a disgrace with that.