Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United convincingly defeated BK International Western Tigers in the final of the 2008 Fruta Conquerors organized Namilco Football Festival Knockout Tournament this past Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Alpha thoroughly commanded the 90 minute encounter against the Tigers which they won 2 – 0, while Sunburst Camptown squeezed past Fruta Conquerors 2 – 1 in their ‘Clash of Juices’ third place showdown prior to the final match.
It was an action packed evening of football which included a Memorial Pee Wee (Under-11) match between Sunburst Camptown and Fruta Conquerors that ended in a stalemate and four hamper giveaways to spectators in the pavilion.
The top prize of $400,000 hopped on the homeward bound bus with Alpha whilst Western Tigers settled for the runner up prize of $200,000, Sunburst Camptown with $100,000 and Fruta Conquerors $50,000 rounded off the other three top prizes for the tournament.
In the final, both teams were feeling for their legs early on and this resulted in an early chance for the much more controlled Alpha United who received a free kick, from two yards outside the 18yard box opposite the horizontal and which they made full use of.
From the right boot of Shawn Bishop, the ball was placed in the left corner of the goal leaving Western Tigers one goal down in the seventh minute of play.
Tigers stepped up their attack and started taking shots on goal from beyond their opponent’s 18 yard box, but none troubled “The Hammer’s” custodian, even though a few shots were on target.
After the first half, Alpha still led the final 1 – 0 and by the 50th minute completely had the game in their grasp as they took the fight out of their opponents.
Far post – no one move. This was the format of the precision placement kick coming from the left boot of Dwayne Jacobs in the 80th minute, which completely immobilized the opposition, even their custodian who made no attempt to defend the uprights.
In the Conquerors/Camptown clash both teams endured the same bit of misfortune, with chances going a begging at the goal mouth, as the forwards failed to convert any that were created.
After a goalless first half, Camptown’s Troy Prescod drew first blood for his team from a penalty kick, the attempt slammed into the right upright and eventually made it’s way to the back left corner of the goal.
One minute before regulation time Conqueror’s Mannessah Primo beat the Camptown custodian in the far post from the right flank, after enduring a battle with a Camptown defender.
This took the match into extra time, where Devon Mosley broke the deadlock in the 28th minute for Camptown to seal the win.
