Pele Football Club and Alpha United reached the semi-finals of the 18th annual Kashif and Shanghai football tournament with convincing wins over Amelia’s Ward United and Western Tigers respectively Friday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
In the first game Alpha United, nicknamed ‘The Hammer,’ hammered away at the claws of the Tigers’, reducing them to nine men and inflicting on them a 2-0 defeat whilst Pele’s 2-1 victory sent the vociferous Amelia’s Ward United supporters and team home disconsolate.
Tigers’ Gavin Wilson squandered an excellent chance by choosing to dribble his marker instead of getting off his shot after receiving an excellent pass from Devon Millington in the box and allowing the Alpha defence to get back in time.
At the other end, Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams took on Colin Nelson in the Tigers defence and forced a corner.
The resulting kick was then superbly saved by Keith Fraser the Tigers custodian who had an excellent night in the goal.
Tigers’ captain and defence stalwart Dellon Fraser was evicted in the 29th minute for unsportsmanlike conduct, a decision which was greeted with shouts of “boos” and “noooo” to referee Roland Persaud.
Persaud had a hard day at the office, sharing a total of twelve yellow and three red cards as he sought to bring things under control and Andrew Murray Jnr. was also given marching orders in the 40th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Alpha went ahead just on the stroke of half time.
Abrams had wormed his way inside the Tigers half but was brought down unceremoniously by Wilson outside of the box.
The resulting free kick, taken by Shawn Bishop, sailed over the four man Tigers’ wall and into the back of the net beating the hapless Fraser.
Abrams continued to harass the Tigers’ defence in the second half, but was thwarted by the superb goalkeeping of Fraser who saved two point blank shots.
Fraser then pulled off three magnificent saves in approximately 10 seconds.
First, a forceful Dwight Peters shot from the top of the 18-yard box which had goal written all over it was superbly saved by Fraser. The rebound fell at the feet of Abrams who sent a first time shot to goal only to see Fraser deny him too.
It was Peters turn again to try for a second time and once again Fraser calmly flung himself to his left and tipped the shot around the post for a corner. Quincy Madramootoo, silent in the first half came to life in the second with some spirited runs. During one such run, Madramootoo was brought down by Sherman David inside the box and Persaud immediately signalled to the spot.
The resulting penalty kick, taken by Henry, after David was issued with his marching orders, was superbly saved by Fraser once again who, along with Millington, were the only bright Tigers in an otherwise gloomy den.
Fraser was in the limelight two minutes later when he came off his line and took a superbly taken free kick by Henry off the head of Abrams in the box to the delight of the crowd who applauded him for his efforts.
Meanwhile, the workmanlike attitude by Millington at the top was of an extremely high standard and he left the MSC crowd in amazement with his dazzling footwork showing why he is worthy enough to ply his trade for AIA Caledonia in Trinidad.
Alpha scored their second goal when Kester Allen with an inside flick beat not only Fraser, but three other Tigers on the line from a corner.
The second game was not as action-packed as the first, despite some spirited runs by Ezra ‘Dingo’ Greene for the Amelia’s Ward team who fought tooth and nail with their city opposition albeit in vain.
In the 20th minute, Amelia’s Marty Romney had a goal disallowed as two of his team-mates were found in the offside position.
There was little or no action to shout about until the stroke of half time when Richardson received a ball from Dirk Archer just inside the Amelia’s Ward half. Richardson eluded his marker, rounded the 16-year-old Amelia’s custodian Odel Allicock who advanced off his line, and calmly slotted the ball into an open goal.
The Linden team got the equalizer from a free kick as Marlon Simon floated the ball over the head of Shemroy Arthur and into the goal.
But Pele got the game winner in the 78th minute courtesy of a powerful one time shot from Nigel `Powers’ Codrington who received a pass from Sheik Kamal cleanly before turning and firing home his shot which caught the defence asleep.
Five minutes later, Richardson received two successive yellow cards which resulted in immediate eviction. He left but not before hurling various expletives at the officials.
Tonight’s semi-finals will pit Pele against Alpha United and Topp XX against Winner’s Connection.
