Despite the controversy that surrounded the Alpha United squad’s participation in the 2010/2011 Kashif and Shanghai tournament, Alpha became the last team standing at the conclusion of the 21st annual tournament which ended on New Year’s Day at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
The team displayed a tremendous amount of professionalism under the microscope to walk away with a 3-2 win over Pele Football Club taking with them the $2m first prize along with a two-year sponsorship of football kits to the value of $5m.
The final which took place Saturday night attracted the largest crowd to ever attend the event since the organizers began staging the final at the venue.
The thousands of fans could not asked for a better conclusion to the prestigious tournament as they witnessed two star-studded teams exhibit stupendous football on both sides of the field for a nail-biting 90 minutes.
History will record that the titanic battle ended 3 – 2 in Alpha United’s favour and that the team is now two million dollars richer and also the recipient of a five million-dollar sponsorship from the Plus One (+one) brand.
It will not record, however the number of missed opportunities which cost the Pele team dearly in the end and relegated them to having to be satisfied with the one-million dollar runner prize and a two-million dollar Plus One sponsorship.
In the main feature, the night started off in Alpha’s favour and they could have gone ahead in the first minute when a ball was squared wonderfully in front of the Pele goal but Alpha’s striker Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams did not get a final touch to finish.
Alpha’s strikers also threw away two more easy opportunities, one from a penalty and the other from another square ball sent across by Alpha’ 20-year-old left back Chris Camacho.
However, the most unselfish attacking display of football occurred in Alpha’s 18-yard box between Pele’s strikers Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and Devon Millington before Millington scored in the 18th minute from that play which had the defense in a frenzy.
That goal sent the approximately 16,000 spectators to their collective feet in celebration of Pele drawing first blood but they were in for a surprise the very next minute.
Alpha United got numbers forward to overpower the Pele defence and, during a goal mouth scrimmage, Dwight Peters was able to blast a shot through Pele’s custodian Shawn Johnson to score the equaliser and silence the Pele supporters around the stadium.
In the 26th minute, Howard Lowe scored with a shot from close range to give Alpha the lead and put the opposition under immense pressure. The pressure resulted in Pele putting forth one of the most scary and relentless attacks on Alpha United’s defence ever seen by a local team. Richardson eventually put the game on even keel once more when he eluded the defence and thumped the ball past Ronson Williams between the uprights in the 35th minute.
After this Pele dominated the possession but although they got their fair share of chances to score they failed to capitalize.
Alpha United’s coach Wayne ‘Wiggy Dover made the perfect substitution in the closing minutes of the second half which led to their triumph. Dover inserted guest player Kurlson Benjamin, who is the Dominican Republic’s top striker and has 12 international goals to his name.
Benjamin anticipated a play very well and slammed the ball into the back of the net in the final minute.
It was game over as the goal left Pele with no coming back.
Earlier in the night, Sunburst Camptown romped to a come-from-behind victory to defeat five-time Kashif and Shanghai Champions Bakewell Topp XX 2 – 1 in the third place showdown. Camptown carted off the $500,000 prize while Topp XX won $250,000 for placing fourth. Topp XX had the better of the first half when they scored first compliments of Keon Sears who found the back of the net in the 34th minute. Nigel Codrington scored a 57th minute goal for Camptown which levelled the game before Devon Forde scored the decider in the 86th minute.
In the other supporting match, the Golden Jaguars Under-20 side held Riddim Squad to a 1 – 1 draw.
