Cougars FC have claimed the Golden Arrow U-20 football title and bragging right after stunning Paradise Invaders and in the process giving the West Berbice team their first taste of defeat in the tournament.
Playing under floodlights in the final on Friday, at the All Saints Ground on Princess Elizabeth Road New Amsterdam, Cougars registered a 3-2 win over the pre-match favourites on penalty kicks after the two teams had played to a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation time.
Watched by a sizeable crowd, the visiting team took the lead in the 6th minute when the goal hungry Shaqueel DeHarte found the back of the nets to send the West Berbice fans into a frenzy. The half time whistle came and the writings seemed on the wall.
Urged on by the vocal crowd the home team equalised in the 43rd minute off the booth of Xavier Johnson. Energised by that goal, Cougars began to play more constructive football and Reagan Reece sent them ahead in the 57th minute.
The winning Cougars Team
As has been proven before in the tournament Paradise had the ability to dig deep. This resulted in a late strike. Skipper, Nimrod August did not disappoint and scored in the 59th minute forcing both teams to go on an all out attack giving spectators a look at the talent available at the under-20 level in Berbice.
At the end, the score was deadlocked at 2-2 forcing the decision to come from the penalty spot.
Cougars prevailed 3-2.
Earlier, NA United took the third spot after winning the third place play-off against Hopetown United Rangers 4-0 in a one-sided affair which also featured a West Berbice team against a New Amsterdam side.
Orin Glen opened the scoring in the 40th minute which opened the goal shout. Stephen Rigby 46th, Quinn Hazel 60thand Jamal Butts 74th then netted to quell the hope of Hopetown.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the trophies and medals along with the Golden Arrow milk products were presented to the winners by Jermain Sripaul of the tournament sponsor J’s Supermarket.
First place trophy and gold medals went to Cougars Football Club along with the most outstanding goalkeeper trophy to Trivette Edwards, second place trophy went to Paradise Invaders FC, the highest individual goal scorer was Shaqueel DeHarte(4) and MVP was Aubrey Joseph, both of Paradise Invaders FC. (Andrew Carmichael)
