Guatemala wins Game 1 of 2 against Belize in Football series

Just before the newscast, the anticipated game between Belize and Guatemala ended in Belmopan. All eyes were on the Belize National team at the Football Federation of Belize stadium as it took on neighboring rivals from Guatemala. Expectations were running high and there was impressive support for the local boys. Hundreds of Belizeans turned out at the stadium waving their flags with nationalist fervor. Going into the historic game, Belize’s standing was high in World Cup football, having already beaten Montserrat and Grenada but for Belize, Guatemala was the team to beat. Five minutes into the game, Guatemala penetrated the Belize goal post and secured its first goal. Goalkeeper Shane Orio thwarted the second, third and many other attempts. The national team played defensively against attempts by Guatemala to control the game. The Guats played fast and furious. At the end of the first half, the score was Guatemala one, Belize nil. The stats at the half showed that Belize had five fouls, six attempts goal kicks and three corners. The second half got underway with more close calls. Guatemala scored once more before Deon McCauley scored the first and only goal for Belize. As the clocked ticked, the game ended two-one in favor of Guatemala. Sportcaster James Adderley wrapped up the coverage with highlights of the first of the two part series.

James Adderley

James Adderley & Leonard Ysaguirre

“The F.F.B. Stadium, team Belize3 has lost 2 -1 to Guatemala. And I can tell you that indeed it was a very strange came. In the opening moments of the game, at the fifth minute, this corner kick found the head of the captain Cabrera and it was a 1-nil lead and for a long time Belize was unable to recover from this particular goal that was scored on them. As we continue to look at what transpired in this ballgame, this is another opportunity for Belize, but it won’t be good enough as it was blocked by the defensive player from Guatemala. Again Belize ahs no reason to keep its head down. Here is the second goal from Guatemala; it was Marvin Avila heading that ball and Maynor Lopez pushed it into the far side of the net for the 2-nil lead. However Belize never says die and immediately Belize was able to respond as Deon McCauley showed why he is the most important goal scorer in Belize at the moment coming up with this fantastic goal. His first touch was simply superb. His right foot placement was displaced the keeper and I am happy that we were able to get on the scoreboard and after that Belize certainly had many opportunities to get the equalizer, but unfortunately they were unable to come up with it Leonard so in the end we lose 2-1. Your take.”

Leonard Ysaguirre

“Pretty much what you said except that I thought that we were our own worse enemy as we created the situations which came about that caused the goal. The corner kick that caught us flatfooted was early in the ballgame and as I said before we weren’t as focused as we should have been. A couple of guys backs were turned to the play as the corner was kicked. As a result the goal was scored without any contest. Guatemalan players getting a foot on the ball from the corner to the deflection to who kicked it in…”

James Adderley

“They took too long to settle down. We were not focused on that corner kick and that was the goal that really had us on our back heel the entire ballgame.”

Leonard Ysaguirre

“We had quite a few moments where we showed a few gitters—bad passes, consistent bad passes as a result of maybe trying to be too cool and trying to make too close a pass. A lot of them at the end of the game because of desperation and trying to do too much, they didn’t go where they should have gone and I think that taxed the strikers; primarily Kafu Roches, who had to do a lot of running to recover. He if you noted was able to contest the ball against the defense and came up with it several times.”

James Adderley

“I thought the fumbles were more pronounces in the final ten minutes after McCauley scored that goal. We had enough offensive anxiety into the goal area of the Guatemala team, but we were unable to get the final touch and it certainly cost us the ballgame. We had them hanging on; they were obviously physically tired. They were about to concede another goal but we would not get it simply because we were unable to get the final touch.”

Leonard Ysaguirre

“Well again that is one of the flaws in our game and I think that is something that we need to work on; how to put the finishing touch on the wall. As you can see Deon McCauley is def at. Kafu Roches again ahs the skill, but guys like Kuylen does show the ability form time to time. I think Vallan Simms and Dalton Eiley caused us some strain because they weren’t able to make the right decision and make the right touch. It did not cost us necessarily at those instance in time, but constantly having to recover and chase down the ball took its toll on us and eventually you saw that easy goal in the 30^th minute of the second half. That was as a result of fatigue James and a break down in our defense.”

James Adderley

“Leonard, I want to go to our stats man, Sheppard. You want to give us as far as what you tabulated as far as the statistical analysis goes?”

Shepherd

Mister Shepherd, Stats man

“James I must say that I am not happy with the amount but I will take the 2-1 defeat. Deep inside my heart is crying but I am still smiling. We dominated the entire second half; the Guatemalan team was fatigue, they were tired. Unfortunately with that break there the big guy he got that goal. But apart from that James with the Guatemalan team it seems that when you are fatigued, you cause more foul. They had six foul in the second half while we only had two. When it comes to the kicks to the goal; we were more aggressive: we had nine kicks to the goal while they only had five.  Coming down to the throw-ins, we had seven throw-ins while they only had six. Corner kicks they dominated that one; they had four meanwhile we only had three. James on a brief summary of the entire game, we played excellent. We played to win, it didn’t happen. The lion’s den has been opened on the Guatemalan side; we now enter.”

James Adderley

“Shep, you are saying the same thing my partner in crime Leonard Ysaguirre said. We had this game, we took control in the second half, but we lacked the finishing touches.”

Mister Sheppard

“What a game James. All I can say, what a game.”