ExxonMobil U14 tournament: Final showdown set after thrilling semis

A new boys’ champion will be crowned, while a repeat of last year’s girls’ final is on the cards for this Saturday, following a thrilling semifinal in the ExxonMobil Under-14 Boys’ and Girls’ Football tournament.
Semifinal action at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Monday commenced with defending champions Waramuri Primary Top securing a place in the girls’ final.
The 2023 champions were held fiercely by Bartica Secondary girls, but a stalemate at the end of regulation time sent the game into extra time; and Shenesa Thomas found the back of the net through a header from a set piece in the 43rd minute, thereby booking her team’s final spot.

Winning Captain Tiana Abrams, later reflecting on their performance and the coach’s encouragement, said,
“Today’s game went great! We had fun! It was exciting! We enjoyed it.”
Responding to a question, she added, “No, I was confident, because I know my girls were prepared for anything. We can and we will do this.”
The Waramuri Primary Top captain added, “My coach would always say, ‘Keep your head in the game, pass the ball, focus and, you know, be as a team’.”
Last year’s girls’ runners- up President’s College later came from behind to set a date with Waramuri in the final for a second consecutive year.
An infraction in the box handed Santa Rosa girls a penalty opportunity, which Veronica Chatta converted in the 15th minute to put the Region One side ahead.
However, their celebrations were short lived, as PC’s Kimora Edwards converted a beautiful free kick from just outside the box to level the scores in the 18th minute.
As both sides hunted the game-winning goal, another handled ball in the box presented a scoring opportunity, and Edwards of President’s College later sealed the 2-1 win in the 30th, after converting the penalty.

Discussing their win, Captain Edwards admitted the semifinal was a challenging one. Edwards told this publication, “Well, as we came out today, the semifinal was pretty hard, because [we were] playing against a team as strong as us. It was a bit challenging, but we really worked hard and we put the effort into it, so we came out with the victory.
“I was a bit furious in the first half, but then I think to myself that we can do it because we have the better team. So, we give a little motivational speech and we went back on the pitch and played very nicely,” the young lady from President’s College later said.
Chase’s Academy booked their spot in the Boys’ final in thrilling fashion after a 3-2 encounter with Leonora Secondary. Adrian Giddings got Leonora ahead in the 6th, after finding the back of the net from a freekick in the other half of the pitch. However, a flat shot into the left corner of the goal from Chase’s Akeel Younge levelled the scores in the 21st.
The second segment of the match was even more exciting, as Leonora retook the lead when Keon Grant capitalized on a set piece from the corner in the 24th.
Chase was again quick to equalize. This time, Jaden Tasher took a straight-on shot from just outside the box to tie things up in the 28th. A similar long shot from way outside, this time off the boots of Mark Glasgow in the 28th, gave Chase the lead for the first time in the clash, and eventually the victory.
Tasher later spoke to this publication about his team’s victory. “For the starting of the first half, we start play good, but when we concede, them [teammates] start get a little frustrated and so; but when we score again, that’s when we start playing back and get our heads in the game. (At) halftime, coachman talked to us,” the Chase’s Academy Captain related.
“Yeah, I would say so,” Tasher said about the team’s motivation to do better once they are down a goal.
The final game of the night saw Dolphin Secondary pipping South Ruimveldt Secondary 1-0. After a goalless first half, and the same for much of the second, Tyler Abrams headed a thrown-in ball into the corner of the nets in the 43rd to seal the win for Dolphin.
Dolphin Captain Damani Hardy later talked about their half-time conversation and corrections made that were crucial to the win.
“It was fun! We was controlling the game, but we were making mistakes too. But we still come out with a victory,” Hardy shared.
The youngster went on to reveal, “We had a pretty good conversation. We talked about the wrongs that we did; we talk about the people that we have to match up with in order to score the goal….”
The ExxonMobil final is scheduled for this Saturday at the same venue.