The final of the Beterverwagting (BV)/Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Cohesion Senior Cup Football League has been set in stone, after a more than entertaining semifinal round on Sunday August 19.
Delroy Deen, Malcolm Wilson and Junior Alleyne
In the first semifinal, it was a battle of the Georgetown teams as an unbeaten East Ruimveldt prepared to take on Tucville, who recently redeemed themselves from a shocking loss. With the game shortened to 60 minutes, both teams came out gunning, looking to secure the match as early as possible. The intense match up saw both sides displaying their best offensive and defensive tactics, meaning that the match would remain locked at nil all by half time.
The second half caught Tucville’s defense slacking on which an alert Oneil Glasgow of Eastveldt capitalized with a first goal. In fact, Glasgow’s goal would turn out to be the only goal of the match, as Tucville in search of an equalizer, failed to penetrate Eastveldt’s defense by the blow of the referee’s whistle to signal the end of the match. Eastveldt’s victory over the experienced Tucville, appeared to give Eastveldt a moral boast, as the already delighted players, at the end of the match, exhibited readiness for the Saturday’s finals.
In the other matchup, another unbeaten team, BV sought to defend their home turf against fellow East Coast team Mahaica. Both teams were keen on registering a win, as such many spectators feared that Mahaica would deliver an upset to BV.
The first goal of the match came off of the boots of Mahaica’s Eion Abel. Mahaica’s goal appeared to stun and silenced the spectators, which was highly populated with BV supporters.
However, BV’s Delroy Deen, in the 14th minute appeared motivated by BV’s apparent down fall, when he courageously worked his way through the mid-field to an opening in Mahaica’s defense, to score a powerful right booted equalizer goal. BV’s Malcom Wilson, who continues to demonstrate ever improving qualities, wasted no time in giving the home team BV, the lead, when in the 19th minute he accepted a pass from the left wing, to volley the ball pass Mahaica’s goal keeper, penetrating the goal net and handing BV the advantage, 2-1. From this stage it appeared that Mahaica became desperate, and while they may have been obvious efforts to remain composed, their body language and field formation had clearly changed.
This change in Mahaica’s tactical approach can also be attributed to BV’s third goal which came when three of Mahaica’s defense players decided to rotate possession of the ball, instead of clearing it from their box. This thoughtlessness, allowed the vigilant Junior Alleyne of BV, to advance and challenge Mahaica’s defense players, winning possession of the ball and finishing with a brilliant placement in the goal net, to give BV a 3-1 lead in the 40th minute. The remainder of the match, appear to be all about formality, as Mahaica never received another opportunity to score.
On the final game day on Saturday August 25, Tucville will tackle Mahaica for the Gladstone O Benjamin Bronze Award of $150, 000, inclusive of a trophy. Later on the headline event will feature both undefeated team BV and Eastveldt for the Bakewell Gold Crown of $350, 000. The second place finishers will receive the Lloyd WP Britton Sliver Honor prize, of $250, 000.
The action will commence at 19:00h at the BV playground.
