U-16 Football Championship opens at M.C.C. Grounds
James Adderley, Reporting
History was made in Belizean football last night as the F.F.B. opened the Under 16 Central American Football Tournament inside the M.C.C. Grounds. The soothing sound of the National anthem as rendered by the Nation Football Team gave pomp to the circumstances as the jewel found itself in the role of hosting this Central American Championship for the very first time. And yes, the ‘sub umbra floreo’ made its presence felt as fans from across the nation came out to support Team Belize in its opening match against Panama.
Nevertheless, its Panama that roars out of the starting gates and could have been up 1-zip at the third minute except for the heroics of Shawn Lopez in goal. The relentless pressure continues unabated and yields dividends for the visitors when this centre from off the right wing finds the head of Jose Diego Alvarez and Panama goes up 1-zip. Belize responds with this header that does miss the target in the attempt to tie. At the other end Shawn Lopez is tested and again he prevails against targeted offence. Let’s just quickly re-enforce that statement with this picture.
However when this left foot centre screams across the Panama goalmouth, Jerome Belisle is the Belizean who catches up with the pill and Belize ties the ballgame some 16 minutes in. The reaction from Panama was swift, fortunately the cross bar intervened as the 12th man for Belize. Of course the crossbar has no allegiance because at the other it does some Panama from the wicked punch out of the midfield from Luis Torres. Meanwhile the heroics of goalkeeper Shawn Lopez takes a hit when he allows this bomb from outside by Jairo Jimenez to hurtle past his hands and a goal that shouldn’t have been gives Panama a 2-1 lead to take into intermission.
Sop we go to second half and again the visitors strike early as this corner kick finds the head of Linton and Panama leads 3-1. Five minutes later this push from Jose Diego Alvarez gives him his second goal of the match, Panama extends the lead to 4-1. And its not a good three minutes later when Jairo Jimenez strikes for his second, Panama goes on to win the opener in a 5-1 rout.
Tonight Belize takes the night off and will return to action tomorrow September 21st against Guatemala. Some people are concerned about Belize losing to Guatemala on Independence Day, but hey guys, sports should unite us and not divide us more. On tonight’s ticket Panama faces El Salvador, Costa Rica goes up against Guatemala.
Turning to last night’s under card, it was Guatemala facing El Salvador and the Guats have the first opportunity to grab the lead. It’s Guatemala again from off the corner kick and while sequence looks good it fails to impress the scoreboard. Maybe opening night jitters set in on the team from Guatemala because again they fail to convert these open looks.
Folks we feel that we have established that Guatemala is the protagonist in this ballgame so we fast forward to the final moments of this confrontation that lasts 70 minutes. There’s a defensive miscue by Guatemala. Ricardo Guevara takes charge to crush this right foot into the goal. El Salvador snatches the big W in a 1-zip finish. Thus after round 1 Panama and El Salvador show 3 points a piece while Costa Rica who debuts tonight, Guatemala and Belize all show no points at this juncture. Finally we spoke to F.F.B. President Dr. Bertie Chimilio to discuss the rumoured fines levied by UNCAF because of last nights’ outing.
Dr. Bertie Chimilio, President, F.F.B.
“I was informed last night that they could be possibly fines sent to us, which is over five thousand U.S.dollars, because we did not have our music system in place. It was there, but not in place. This, the general coordinator has to send a report up to the head office, then that goes to CONCACAF, and CONCACAF decides. However, talking to him this morning, it kind of eased the situation. I told him that the box was there but it wasn’t functional so we are looking at that technical disorder so that we will not be fined down the road. Well in fact, no fine has come down. We were checking last night that yes the fine was going to come down, but this morning it has all been eased, which is good for the federation. We feel very happy about that.”
James Adderley
“There was talk about an ambulance fine.”
Dr. Bertie Chimilio
“Again, that’s part of the regulations. The ambulance should have been at game an hour before the game started and I think they came in just on the time of six o’ clock. We will rectify that for today’s game and let’s hope that today the box and the ambulance are there on time.”
James Adderley
“Let’s talk about the support and the performance of the Belizean team last night.”
Dr. Bertie Chimilio
“Well James, we’ve been following this team since May, since we started the recruitment drive. We have Coach Marvin Ottley, he’s Director of Primary School Football, so over the last three or four years we have had ultimate contact with these youths through the programme at the National Sports Council. And last night I think they came out spanking, they came out, they played a different brand of football. Unfortunately, the lack of concentration always hurts us, even the big boys get hurt with the lack of concentration, the early goal, both in the first half and the second half. And the other three goals they scored just within nine minutes after that they regained their composure and they played hard up to the end. The fact is, these are youths, this is their first real international test, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old. We are looking at guys now in the 2018 World Cup. We need to come out and support them because they are the future.”
In closing folks, we simply want to remind you I’m a Belizean, I know you are. May the best team win. I’m James Adderley reporting for News Five.
