Last year’s runner-up Guyana Defence Force has booked their place in this year’s Bakewell Buxton Stars organized Digicel/Mackeson Stout sponsored Sweet 16 football tournament, following a hard fought 2-1 victory over Alpha United at the Plaisance Community Centre ground on Tuesday night.
It was a see-saw battle for the first 30 minutes of play, where both teams tried to seize the initiative from each other but were thwarted by good goalkeeping from both Akel Clarke and Ronson Williams of GDF and Alpha United respectively.
But Dwayne Jacobs sent Alpha into the lead in the 32nd minute, when he beat Clarke with a well-placed shot to send his team into the lead, one they held onto up to the lemon time whistle.
But the Army boys hit the ground hard in the second half, running at their opponents as if they were not only their enemy, but also the enemy of Guyana, with their forward line led by Gavin Wilson, Warren Gilkes and Sherlock Dowding, with support from Eusi Phillips and Marlon Benjamin in the middle.
They were rewarded in the 52nd minute, when Benjamin who once represented Linden’s Bakewell Topp XX, worked his way into Alpha’s 18 yard box and was brought down by Quincy Madramootoo, to which skipper Selwyn Isaacs stepped up to the plate and beat Williams to draw his team level.
Two minutes later and GDF who defeated both Mahaica Determinators and BV/Triumph United by four nil margins, went into the lead through the hard-working Gilkes who beat Williams with a well-placed shot from just inside the box.
Alpha tried hard to get the equalizer, but Clarke was equal to the task, thwarting the efforts of Jacobs, Edison Gomes and Shawn Bishop who made several runs from the midfield position, all to no avail.
The final whistle was sounded by referee Roy Mc Arthur, which assured GDF and its throng of supporters gathered at the venue, a place in the final on Sunday at the same venue, where they will face the winner of the second semi final between defending champions Sunburst Camptown and Cougars of Berbice.
That game will be played tonight at the Plaisance Community Centre ground from 2000hrs, being preceded by a master clash involving Upper Level Barber Shop and Sweet Point from 1800hrs.
In a supporting match to the GDF/Alpha clash, East Coast Masters and their East Bank counterparts played to a 2-2 draw.
Photo caption: Guyana Defence Force’s Marlon Benjamin (left) attempts to go around Alpha United’s Howard Lowe during their semi final clash in the Digicel/Mackeson Stout Sweet 16 semi final clash on Tuesday night. (Orlando Charles photograph)
Photo is saved in Sportspic/2009 Sweet 16/GDFALPHA 2
