By Rawle Toney
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) could not have asked for a better semi-final evening as football fans were entertained by two heated clashes on Sunday last at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence in the Super League competition.
In the opening game, ‘The Hammers’ Alpha United edged Milerock 3-2 in extra time while the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) overran rivals Sunburst Camptown 3-0.
It was the second time in the tournament that Milerock of Linden and the city top side Alpha United were clashing with the latter winning 2-1 in the first encounter at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.
Ironically it seems like Shawn Bishop has the kryptonite for Milerock, since he, just like in the first game, was responsible for the Linden side’s defeat.
Playing under the magnificent lights at the world-class facility, Milerock came out looking like never before – their passes were right, their shots were on target and the defence was working in sync.
Naturally they were first to score with Randy Jerome (brother of national forward Randolph ‘Black Head’ Jerome) finding the opening in the 19th minute after a goal mouth scramble.
However, like true champions, Alpha United levelled the score five minutes later with Andrew Murray Jr. in a replica of Milerock’s goal, boring the Linden side’s custodian Michael Rose with a hard right-footer.
The two sides ended the first half with one goal apiece and by this time the crowd was cheering for the resumption of the game.
Milerock, the aggressor on both ends of the field, picked up from where they left off at lemon time as Derrol Dainty sent a scorcher to goal which Alpha’s goalie; Ronson Williams couldn’t get a hand to.
But Mlerock’s celebration was short-lived as the sneaky Dwain Jacobs drew his team level in the 54th minute.
At the end of regulation time the teams were tied on two goals.
Extra time certainly belonged to Alpha who had began playing more settled football, pushing forward a bit more and playing with their defense high.
However, Milerock owed a lot to their `keeper, Michael Rose for his valiant efforts between the uprights as he thwarted several certain goals for Alpha, most of which were fired by Bishop.
Bishop was a thorn in the sides of the Milerock’s players with coach Brian Joseph trying everything possible to keep him and his hungry teammates at bay but only Rose was his stopper.
Alpha’s persistence was rewarded in the closing minutes of the second half of extra time (115 minutes) as Bishop executed the goal of the game.
The player, running down the middle towards the goal at the media center end, headed in a beautiful goal from a Quincy Madramootoo pass from the right flank and it was lights out for Milerock as shortly after referee Roland Persaud blasted the whistle while pointing to center line, signaling that the game was over.
Meanwhile, in the second game of the evening, after a dreary first half, GDF picked up the pace and outgunned Camptown to exact revenge for their loss in the NAMILCO final.
Dean, in the 53rd minute, worked his way through Camptown’s defence and did nothing wrong when he reached the goal placing the ball just to the far right post as Richie Richards stretched full length to no avail.
Things never looked up for Camptown and Eusi Phillips made things worse with a 62nd minute goal.
Though they tried, their main strike force (Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington, Telson McKinnon and Lance Ralston) just couldn’t trouble GDF’s defence.
Marlon Benjamin’s 82nd minute strike put the icing on the cake for his side with a power shot from an acute angle after drawing out Richards from the goal and using his fancy footwork to deceive him before blasting it into the goal.
The final of the National League which has over two million dollars in cash and prizes at stake will be held on November 29 at the Guyana National Stadium when the GDF will be looking to avenge its loss to Alpha in the preliminary rounds of the competition.