Two more Linden teams exited the 20th Anniversary Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament on day two when they lost to Seawall United and Fruta Conquerors at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground on Wednesday night.
The packed venue witnessed the Fruta Conquerors dominating Eagles United 3 – 1 in the feature encounter of the double header that had the newcomers Seawall United getting past Rusal in a seesaw battle that ended 2 – 1.
Seawall will now meet the experienced Guyana Defence Force (GDF) team in the quarterfinal on December 23 at GFC, while Conquerors await the winner of the Alpha United/Grove Hi Tech match up which is set for tomorrow in Linden at the Mackenzie Sports Complex Ground.
Linden’s hopes of reclaiming the Kashif and Shanghai title now rests in the hands of the tournament’s most decorated team, Bakewell Top XX. The five-time champion and seven-time finalist, Bakewell Top XX’s last tournament victory was in 2005-2006 when they defeated Alpha United.
In the feature battle, Conquerors came out firing and went ahead as early as the sixth minute when Lester Peters rocked the back of the net.
Conquerors stormed down the left flank with a few good touches that got them into the 18-yard box, where Peters released a firm shot that went to goalkeeper Ravin Choo’s left, but the ball hit an Eagles defender, changed its course of direction and made it past Choo.
The eventual victors kept on the attack and were rewarded in the 20th minute from a Manessah Primo strike from just inside the 18 yard on the left flank that got under Choo.
Eagles then pulled one back, compliments of Alestor Johnson who thumped the goal past custodian Oswald Cornette in the 28th minute.
Winding down to half time, the game was halted for just over four minutes when a confrontation between an assistant referee and a spectator interrupted play, which resumed when police ranks intervened.
After the break, both teams developed good plays near the goals but were unable to finish because they had few players forward or through bad touches.
Primo was sent off the field after receiving two yellow cards for persistent infringement of the law (80th) and playing in a dangerous manner (85th).
Conquerors were still able to find a third goal when Delon Williams received a firm cross from the left flank in front of the goal and tucked it in during the first minute of injury and stoppages time.
The night’s curtain raiser had the fitter and more experienced, Rusal United bowing out to Seawall to give them their first Kashif and Shanghai victory.
It was a goalless first 45 minutes, but in the second half Cleveland Walcott scored right off the whistle to give Seawall the lead. Rusal controlled ball possession throughout the entire game but were unable to deliver, while the opposition exploited any chance received to the fullest.
Clement Brown was able to score for Seawall in the 74th minute to give his team a comfortable lead but Keon Smith, who came on in the 54th minute for Kyon Phillips, scored a goal in the 83rd minute that proved futile in the end.
