By Rawle Toney
Defending champions Pele came from behind to inflict a painful 2-1 win over the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in the second game of the Kashif and Shanghai Christmas Day double header at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
- The winner! Striker Gerald Whittington converts a well timed shot to give Pele the victory over the GDF in their quarter finals clash on Christmas Day. (Orlando Charles Photo)
In the opening game, there was nothing bright about Sunburst Camptown’s performance as the former champions eased past Riddim Squad 3-0 to advance to the semi-finals.
Watched by thousands of vociferous fans at Guyana’s number one international sports venue, the soldiers, who were beefed up with several players from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force team and with players from the Twin Island’s Professional league came out and stunned all with their exquisite style of football.
Pele on the other hand tightened its protective line with the inclusion of former national captain and defensive stalwart Charles ‘Lilly’ Pollard.
Fourteen minutes into the heated affair, Trinidadian Kevin Carter sent his team’s supporters into frenzy when he worked his way down the middle from a Pele defensive error and elegantly placed the ball around the advancing goalkeeper Shemroy Arthur.
The goal sent fans in the stands into a carnival-like celebration while the Pele supporters who turned up in overwhelming numbers stood in stunned disbelief.
Thereafter, Pele’s hero, Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson stepped up to the plate and became a
one-man retaliation army.
- Tying it up! Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson (first from left) celebrates after scoring the rebound from his saved penalty kick to level the scores in the 90th minute for Pele against the GDF (Orlando Charles Photo)
But one man cannot a war win and the GDF defenders Selwyn ‘Oochy’ Isaacs, Shevone Seaforth and Ryan Morrison, combined to stalk Richardson down with some amount of success.
However, using his excellent ball control and fancy foot work, Richardson kept the GDF custodian Akel Clarke busy.
Pele got several chances through Richardson’s heroics and in one instance, a sweetly-struck corner found Pollard whose almost certain header was denied by an exceptional save from Clarke.
Winning moment
The game was kept under control by referee Roy McArthur, who shared out seven yellow cards and two detrimental red cards to GDF’s Kion Adams and David Alleyne in the 63rd and 66th minutes respectively to reduce the Army to nine men.
The aggressive Alleyne was cautioned in the 42nd minute by the referee for unsportsman-like play against Richardson, and it was the same player who caused him to be handed a straight red on his second cautioning.
Adams was slapped with an immediate red card when he was caught advancing towards a Pele player in a violent manner after on the receiving end of a foul.
And, adding insult to injury, Morrison, in the 90th minute, gave Pele their Christmas present after he handled the ball in the penalty area.
A squirmy-looking Richardson placed the ball on the charity spot and his right footer, though well timed by Clarke diving low to his left, spilled out for Richardson to blast in the equalizer on the rebound.
Spurred by his heroics, Richardson took on several defenders and found second half substitute Gerald Whittington with a text-book, flat pass in the 18-yard box and Whittington finished with a hard, flat shot to the right far post in the closing seconds of extra time (90+4 minutes) to send his team through to the semis.
After the game, GDF coach Marlon ‘Brando’ Washington obviously shaken by the upset, said “My team played excellent football but we didn’t get the win. Also we are a bit upset with the officiating, now after the chaos in Linden with the same referee, why put him back in this game less than a week after when you have FIFA referee Stanley Lancaster as the fourth official?”
“My guys were a bit down especially after losing two players and going to nine men on field but we still outplayed them and I think Pele is not going to win this tournament again; not after that game,” Washington said.
Meanwhile, in the opening game, Sunburst Camptown held off Riddim Squad with goals through Lance Ralston (26th minute), Quame Le Fleur (32nd minute) and Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington in the 75th minute.
The Hope brother Sceyon and Sherwin made rings around the weak looking Camptown defence but the Riddim Squad players failed to convert the chances.