-set up clash with GDF in Sweet 16 final
A new champion will be crowned tomorrow when the Bakewell Buxton Stars- organized Mackeson Stout/Digicel Second Annual Sweet 16 football tournament climaxes at the Plaisance Community Centre ground.
Defending champions Sunburst Camptown were toppled by Berbice’s Cougars Football Club 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 stalemate in the second semi final played at the same venue on Thursday night, thus setting up a clash with last year’s runner-up Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
The match was played in front of a fair-sized crowd who supported the Berbicians – underdogs of the tournament.
Defending the eastern goal, Cougars were very persistent in attacking the Campbellville-based team goal’s area, with breakaway runs from George Simmons Jnr on the left flank and it was from one of these runs that Cougars managed to take the lead in the 32nd minute.
Sunburst Camptown who defeated GDF 2-1 in last year’s final, was caught in a defensive mode as Cougars’ attacks created disorganization, thus allowing Cougars’ centre midfield Dexter ‘Joso’ Bennett to let loose his right foot shot from inside the 18-yard box, past Camptown’s custodian Richie Richards to put his team in the lead 1-0.
But that was to be short-lived, as the defending champions were determined to defend their title in tomorrow’s final and they equalized seven minutes later, courtesy of a Kwame La Fleur strike following a pass from Troy ‘Bugsy’ Prescod.
The goal rejuvenated Sunburst Camptown who found their rhythm and took the lead just on the stroke of lemon time, when the hard working Lance Rawlston found the back of the net in the 45th minute, to ensure his team went into the break 2-1.
The second half started the same way as the first, with Cougars pressing Camptown’s defence forcing Orlando Gilgeous, Rishawn Sandiford, Sherwin Cadogan and Kris Camacho to work overtime in collaboration with Richardson, thwarting the attacks of Bennett, Junior Simmons and Ryan Stewart of Cougars.
But the Berbicians were not to be denied the equalizer and they duly got same when Horace Roach got a free ball from Gilgeous and made his way through the centre past both Gilgeous and Camacho, to beat a hapless looking Richards.
After regulation and extra time failed to provide a winner as both teams’ custodians worked overtime to stay in the game, it was down to penalty kicks, where Cougars created the upset after Prescod missed his chance for Camptown.
Cougars will face GDF, who recorded a hard fought 2-1 victory over national club champions Alpha United in the first semi final clash at the same venue, from 2100hrs tomorrow night, whilst Alpha and Camptown will clash for the third and fourth place positions.
