Football and Cycling; James Adderley’s Full Update on Sports Monday
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
The final schedule to regular season play in the Premier League of Belize, found FC Belize as journeymen to Juventus at People’s Stadium yesterday looking to nail and even a spot in the 4 team playoffs set to kick off this Sunday, April 22nd. It’s a rude awakening for FC Belize as we’re only 2 minutes into the ballgame when Cristobal Gilharry fails to clear this ball which is picked up by Clifton West who hammers it past Elroy Rawley for the 1-zip lead. A minute later, Osmar Duran gets this look at goal only to be denied by Rawley from pointblank range in his bed for a 6th season goal and a doubling of the Juventus lead. When Clifton West comes up with this loose ball in front of FC’s goal, he should have gotten his 2nd goal of the match but failed miserably.
FC Belize finally gets some offense going when David Ramos sends this delivery into the Juventus goal area, Colville Richards mishandles the pill, Thomas Castro catches up with the loose ball but gets off a weak left foot that wasn’t going anywhere. FC is in the ascending when Francisco Briceño triggers this spot kick that Ritchie Dominguez almost converts into an auto goal—and then Ivor Arriola’s left foot attempt to score leaves a lot to be desired. So we go to 2nd half and we don’t know what Clifton West is doing but he should have doubled the Juventus lead right here. of this defensive misplay, Jeremy Bermudez gets this opportunity to tie the ballgame but for some reason he just gift the ball to goalkeeper Richards of Juventus—maybe their friends. However, Jeremy Bermudez makes amends a minute later when he pounces on this loose ball and toes it into the far corner to tie the ballgame at the 50th minute.
FC Belize grabs the lead when Bermudez finds Francisco Briceño who unleashes a left foot that Richards can’t handle for the 2-1 score; 60 minutes in. Now watch this handball by the FC defense and Referee Reid rightly rules for the penalty kick. Osmar Duran steps up to notch his 6th goal of the season and ties the ballgame at 2-apiece at the 65th minute. We’re at the 70th minute when David Ramos picks out Jeremy James who beats Richards to the ball to score his 5th goal and give FC Belize the 3-2 lead. By the way, referee Reid, goalkeeper Richards should have gotten a card for showing his pegs. In closing minutes of the ballgame, FC Belize seals the deal when Carlton Rogers tucks this ball into the far corner as FC Belize wins the match in a 4-2 score and are into the payoffs from the runner up spot in Zone A.
Meanwhile, the B.D.F. finished atop the standings in Zone A after crushing World FC in a 5-zip rout Saturday night. The Sea Dogs bombed San Felipe Barcelona 4-nil but could not make it into the playoffs with 15 points. In Zone B, Police United handles Hankook Verdes in –nothing doubling to finish atop the standings with an undefeated 25 points from 10 outings. Placencia Assassins joined Police from Zone B after edging San Ignacio United 2-1 yesterday and Paradise Freedom Fighters burned Belmopan Bandits 1-zip. Thus the playoffs blast off this Sunday with 2 matches. The B.D.F. will host Placencia Assassins while Police United will hold court against FC Belize—look out for fireworks.
Turning to the Belize District Female Football Play Saturday, the defending champion, Millennium Girls broke a streak of 2 straight losses. The sputtering offence came to life against Belmopan Blazers as Sherraine Tracey fires at goal only to be denied by Anna Ramirez. On this press, Sherraine Tracey beats the Belmopan defense to the ball and then pushes the ball past Ramirez for the only goal of the match as Millennium wins 1-nil. Checking the results from the Stann Creek District Easter Cup on Friday, DYFA stopped Marie Sharp 5-1 while Canada Hills Aquillas beat Hopkins 4-nil. Yesterday Umadagu U-19 edged Ghans 2-1 while Hope Creek Pumas handles Galindo Proper Fix 2-1. On Friday, Rivas Strikers tab on Real Juventud and Southside challenges Benguche FC while on Sunday, Foreshore Elegance sees action against Valley Pride and DYFA U-19 goes to work against Umadagu U-19.
In cycling news, 43 riders suited up for the Weekend Warriors A Class Cross Country ride that travelled from Loma Luz Hospital. Ernest Meighan and Kenroy Smokes Gladden commanded the pace for the most of the way and are still in control. When they rolled around Hattieville roundabout on their way to the Boom Circuit, Jaw Meighan then drops Gladden but is now joined by Lean Stewart. At Haulover Bridge, the duel intensifies between Stewart and Meighan. In fact, it lasts all the way to the sprint at Shell Gas Station on the Northern Highway. Santino’s Jaw Meighan attacks on the outside and grabs the Win forcing Lean Stewart into 2nd. Barney Brown of Scotia Bank wins the sprint for 3rd place while Luigi Urbina of C-Ray is 4th and Kenroy Gladden of Horizon rounds out the top 5.
In the B/C Class that ran from Roaring Creek to the Shell Gas Station on the Northern Highway, Perry Gibson of AAA Loans took top honors—female rider Kaya Cattouse of C-Ray finished 2nd and Leroy Vargas of BWSL rounds out the top 3.
Also in Cycling News, the 7th annual Pablo Marin Cycle Classic will be staged on May 1st 2012. It will travel from Miami Beach to the Santa Elena Border then swings back and heads to Orange Walk where it will turn around and head back to Miami Beach in Corozal for the big finish. Registration should be done by email to belizecycling@gmail.com
In softball news, the Belize Softball Federation will host the World Games Qualifying Tournament for English speaking countries of the Caribbean from November 27th to December 3rd 2012 here in Belize City. the World Games is scheduled for Cali Colombia in July 2013.
