Vreed-en-Hoop outplay L’Aventure to win 3-1 on penalties
Digicel 6th Annual School Football Championship…
By Akeem Greene
The sixth annual Digicel schools nationwide Under-18 football kicked-off in the most dramatic fashion with the
Digicel CEO Kevin Kelly (left), Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Digicel’s Head of Marketing Jacqueline James at the ceremonial kick-off. (Marcenao Narine Photo).
match needing penalty kicks to determine the winner at the national the Track and Field Facility, Leonora.
In the end, the large gathering of spectators saw some fantastic goals being scored with Vreed-en-hoop Secondary edging L’Aventure Secondary 3-1 on penalties after the match ended in a 2-2 deadlocked.
Vreed-en-Hoop started the early offensive attack but a lack of proper set plays prevented any goal from materialising.
After some more close attempts, Brian Chapman in the 33rd minute put Vreed-en-hoop ahead.
It seemed the first goal sparked a higher level of enthusiasm on the field from the boys in the white and black uniform, as forward Shemar ParJohn doubled the lead in 39th from a penalty, to end the first half in his team’s favour.
Behind the proverbial “eight ball” L’Aventure upped their tempo in search of a goal to get themselves back into match. The final minutes of the riveting match were approaching and Ariel Whoskey had a successful shot on goal in the 85th to minimise the deficit.
Despite the late advance from the boys in red and black playing kits, not much persons expected another twist in the pulsating game.
As the match went into injury time L’Aventure Secondary through Dan Boston completed the great comeback. Boston not only etched his name on the score sheet in the 93rd rather his effort send the game to penalty kicks and gave his team an equal chance of a victory which seemed highly unlikely just moments before.
However, all it turned out to be was false hope as Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary made a well calculated move to put a different goal keeper in the up rights.
With tensions rising the butterflies obviously in his stomach the new keeper pulled off two excellent saves which essentially won them the match while breaking the hearts of their spirited opposition who played with lots of determination.
The next match is slated for Monday at the same venue where the Canadian School come against Supply Secondary from 15:00 hrs.
Higher quality of play
Under the theme Unite.Develop.Excel, Customer Care Head of Department Sherwin Osborne, in speaking before the kick-off revealed that the company is looking to see a higher quality of play as compared to the previous years.
Osbourne stated, “We expect a higher level than last year and last year our standards had gotten way better. I was up there in New Amsterdam on Wednesday and actually saw a pre- tournament to our tournament among schools in New Amsterdam; I’m excited and looking forward to some great football.”
The Customer Care Head also explained that “We think from the first year to now, we have seen development in the players as well as players staying in school longer,” Osborne continued, adding “A couple of Gentlemen from the Christiansburg/Wismar Secondary School were in the top 10 in CSEC exams last year. So we’ve seen success in terms of that.”
Director of Sports Christopher Jones posited that the tournament surpasses the usual boundaries, saying, “Digicel’s football tournament is more than just an interschool tournament, its part and parcel of Guyana’s economic activity on a yearly basis and that is why the government is always interested in supporting the work of Digicel.”
The Tournament will be played on a knock-out basis and will have four play-offs and every region is expected to produce a champion team. However, region four will be dived into three sections, East Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara and North and South Georgetown.
This year, the champion school will collect $1 million to fund a project of its choice, while the second to fourth place finishers will receive $700,000., $400,000 and $350,000 respectively, also to fund a school project.
The regional champions are also expected to $100,000 each also for school projects.
Christianburg Wismar Secondary School are the defending champions. Last year they won the championship for the fourth consecutive year.
