Eagles United, led by goals from Deon Charter and Donovan Francis, began their campaign in the Linden Summer Super Cup tournament with a 2-1 victory against Topp XX in the feature match on Sunday evening.
Net Rockers, seeded number two to Eagles United, settled for a 1-1 draw against Amelia’s Ward Panthers in their Group B game, as the Divine Entertainment- sponsored Senior Football Championships began on Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
The 12-team championships got underway in front of a sizeable crowd, and while both teams in the feature match failed to find the back of the net in the first half, the second half produced the goals which decided the game.
It was the top-ranked Eagles United who gained the lead in the 75th minute when Deon ‘Crab’ Charter volleyed home a left side cross to make it 1-0.
But soon after, Topp XX levelled the scores through Jamal Bentick in the 77th minute.
However, the Eagles United regained their composure through one of their brightest prospects, Donovan Francis, who scored the goal for the eventual win. Francis worked his way inside through the middle before tucking home the winner in the 78th minute, to grab the lead which they never relinquished, to end the game 2-1.
In the other match, Net Rockers came from behind to secure a draw against Amelia’s Ward Panthers.
Panthers took the lead in the 18th minute through a Delon Duke free kick just outside the 18-yard box; but Central defender Deshawn Joseph was there to pull things even for the Rockers with an easy goal in the 47th minute of play.
Neither team could find the edge to claim the lead after that.
The top teams from each group advance to the semifinals, and the results so far mean that Eagles United have taken the lead in Group A with three points, while Topp XX have none in a group in which Coomacka is also included. In Group B, which has the Rockers and Panthers Hill, Blueberry Hill United complete the lot.
On Friday, Haynes and Lewis Winners Connection will be taking on Capital FC in a Group C game, while the other game that night brings together Milerock and Botafago in a Group D encounter. The other team in Group C is Hi Stars, while Silver Shattas round out the three in Group D.
Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford said in his remarks at the opening, “The promoters have deemed the tournament one for Upper Demerara teams; and I am looking forward, in the not too distant future — next year — for the tournament to extended to Sub-Region Two, for teams in Aroiama, Ituni and Kwakwani; or at least two of them, (to be) in the tournament.”
Deputy Mayor of Linden, Wainwright Bethune, commended the promoters, and also said, “We would have seen the decline in the football due to a lack of tournaments; and apart from the year-end tournament, the Mayor and Town Council did have a Town Week tournament.
“But it is good that Divine Entertainment saw it fit to have this tournament, to give the players an opportunity to participate in more competitions…
“If you notice, no Linden player has been featuring in our national teams. But from this, I think more Lindeners will be featured in our national teams, with more football being played.”
Devin Sears, Chief Executive of the Divine Entertainment Group, said: “The Summer Super Cup includes 12 teams within the Upper Demerara Football Association, and we are trying to raise the level of football in Linden and bridge the gap between year-end football and now. We have just come from the Mayor’s Cup, and this is the summer and it’s a perfect opportunity to prepare our players for the upcoming National League.”
Sears noted that the tournament will be played on Fridays and Sundays until the finale on August 3 at the Mackenzie Sports Club.
