Hankook Verdes tops F.C. Belize in playoff action
Good evening I’m James Adderley and you are most welcome to this edition of Sports Monday.
Week three of the B.P.F.L. playoffs saw F.C. Belize being hosted by the surging Hankook Verdes inside the Norman Broaster Stadium out west.
Where a pre-game downpour has reduced key spots of this vaunted pitch to less than conducive to the highest level of football play.
Still it’s a quality pass from Daniel Jimenez that finds his brother Orlando whose right away left foot is thwarted by a heroic save from Elroy Rawley.
Somehow today it seems that goalkeeper Rawley will have to have a perfect day if F.C. Belize is to find success out west.
In the early going, totally dominated by the Verdes team, the F.C. keeper appears up to the task.
For sure we’re not certain what kind of defensive play this is from John Smith of F.C. Belize but he gets bailed out by the hardworking Elroy Rawley who denies Stanley Robinson.
Folks, Jose “Shaggy” Caceres who started for the F.C. team encountered some severe physical problems that forces him to abandon the pitch, obviously in severe pain, and would not return – at the half the scoreboard has not been moved.
Immediately into second half it becomes apparent the Hankook Verdes remains the protagonist and this offering from Shamir Pacheco is not far off from producing the opening goal.
Everol Gabourel then fires at the far corner and again Rawley’s response is adequate.
However, Rawley has little reaction to this right foot bomb from Ricardo Jimenez at the fifty-fifth minute of the ballgame that gives Verdes the 1-zip lead.
At the other end F.C. Belize tries to come back off this corner kick from Tyrone Muschamp but Kello Leslie loose sight of the pill at the most crucial moment allowing Jaime Brooks to dig it out.
Nevertheless, Verdes keeps the pressure on and almost doubles the lead with this header from Daniel Jimenez.
F.C. Belize then goes to the set piece for the equalizer but John Smith’s fine looking shot is swatted out by Jaime Brooks.
It’s more F.C. Belize when Germaine Zuniga splices to Shannon Flowers who cannot find the back of the net.
Flowers gets another change to score when Daniel Thomas finds him and again the header travels wide.
It’s getting late so a determined F.C. Belize looks for the equalizer on the road but Jaime Brooks is having none of that at this point in time.
Tensions begin to rise in the Verdes camp and Shamir Pacheco becomes victim when he is chased off the field by a red card.
However, Vallan Syms misses the target off this spot kick in the closing moments and Hankook Verdes holds on for the 1-zip big W.
In the other playoff match staged at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga the Belize Defence Force came from behind on goals from Deon Flowers and Deon McCaully to beat Wagiya 2 to 1.
Thus at the halfway point of the playoffs the Belize Defence force leads with 7 points, Hankook Verdes is next with 6, F.C. Belize is stalled at 4 while Wagiya is yet to record a win or even a draw.
In week four’s schedule the B.D.F. will host Wagiya at the M.C.C. Grounds on Saturday night while on Sunday F.C. Belize will get a visit from Hankook Verdes.
In news from the Super League of Belize playoffs Texmar Boys bombed Estrellas 2-zip while Benque D.C. United held Forever Strong Krall Road to a scoreless draw inside the M.C.C. Grounds yesterday.
This Sunday the ninth of March finds Estrellas hosting Forever Strong Krall Road at the Toledo Union Field while Texmar Boys will travel to Benque D.C. United.
Finally, the annual Belmopan Cycle Classic comes up this Sunday March ninth and we got some details from Belize Cycling Association president Gerald Garbutt.
Gerald Garbutt, President B.C.A.
“The race is on and the race will start at nine from in front of what we call the Constitutional Park as usual and it goes to Belmopan and back, that’s for the elite riders. We are about to decide where we are going to finish the race. We noh pinpoint no special…we have lot of options but we want to look at a place that will be safe for us. I have the meeting Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning you will know where the race will end.”
“Well the ladies side we are watching over ten plus ladies who will partake and the junior rides run between forty-seven to almost fifty riders. On Tuesday night we will work out their distance and everything so Wednesday morning all these information will be available.”
In closing we certainly wish the University of Belize Basketball Team competing in the Central American University Games from the ninth of March to the sixteenth in Costa Rica the very best in this regional basketball tournament featuring thirteen teams.
And we must remind you that the National Football Team of Belize heads to St Kitts & Nevis for the away game in their World Cup Qualifying series on March twenty-sixth. They go in with a 3-1 lead.
Hey folks that’s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.
