Grenades FC of Antigua and Barbuda enjoyed a comfortable 6-2 victory over the Guyana Defence Force FC when the teams met in the 2024 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield in Willemstad, Curaçao on Friday.
There were early defensive woes for Grenades when Abumchi Opara had the better of Jordan Britto down the left wing. Opara manoeuvred his way past Britto, inviting the defender to make a challenge in the area in minute 16 that referee Okeito Nicholson deemed a penalty.
Kelsey Benjamin stepped to the spot, but his right-footed effort went to the right of Zaieem Scott and into the upright.
The lifeline handed to Grenades was soon withdrawn as Opara continued his menacing runs down the left-hand side, leaving Britto exposed once again. A last-attempt tackle by the Grenades defender caused the referee to point to the spot for a second time. Benjamin stepped up and made amends, sending Scott the wrong way and giving the Guyana Defence Force a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute.
The Guyana Defence Force FC’s starting XI on Friday evening
Long-range efforts from Blake of Grenades didn’t trouble Jamain Cumberbatch, the Defence Force custodian. Scott, meanwhile, was busy in goal, snuffing out attacks from the opponents, coming off his line several times, and putting his body on the line to keep the game within reach for his team.
Malcolm Stewart muscled off Cedric Osborne on the right-hand side, dribbled into the box, and unleashed a right-footed shot that keeper Cumberbatch couldn’t hold on to. Sherman Augustin was first to the loose ball and made no mistake in his efforts to equalise for Grenades in minute 36.
The teams went into the half 1-1.
Scott was tested early in the restart by a free-kick from left-footed Ryan Hackett in the 49th minute. Diving to his left, Scott got hands to a well-hit shot to keep his team in the hunt for a go-ahead goal.
The game was evenly matched going down the wire until a sudden turn of events. Barrington Blake, receiving a cross from Tony Sanchez, opened his body and placed his side-footed shot into the goal to make it 2-1 in favour of Grenades in the 65th minute.
Stewart extended the lead in the 71st minute after latching on to a through-pass and, with time and the keeper at his mercy, calmly slotted home his effort from close range to make it 3-1.
Sanchez got in on the goal spree when he went around his marker and slotted home into an empty goal to make it 4-1 in the 74th minute.
Substitute Rakeem Henry extended the lead for Grenades with his first touch of the game. A Kenneth Goulbourne corner kick was headed back across the goal, and he met it with a glancing header, taking the score to 5-1.
Guyana’s Shemar Scott found himself with time and space in the box and made his right-footed effort to decrease his team’s deficit, making it 5-2.
Grenades second-half substitute Daryl Massicot added his name to the scoresheet after latching onto a through-pass and lifting his shot over the head of Cumberbatch to make it 6-2.
As such, Grenades FC have advanced to the Round of 16, where they are scheduled to play SV Real Rincon of Bonaire today, July 28. (CFU)
