Festive season action in the 22nd annual Kashif and Shanghai tournament continued on Christmas and Boxing Day’s at the Blairmont and Mackenzie Sports Club grounds respectively, with Mill Ballers, Caledonia AIA, Amelia Ward and Milerock securing victories of varying difficulties.
On Christmas Day at Blairmont the final two round of 16 matches were contested, which firstly saw Trinidad side Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA confirming their status as potential 2011/12 champions by hammering a hapless New Amsterdam United 10-1.
This was the second time a team had smashed in 10 goals in the competition after a double hat-trick (6 goals) from Devon Millington aided Pele in putting 10 past tournament debutants Timehri Panthers on the opening night of the competition on December 10.
The formalities of the proceedings were pretty much over at the half-time interval as the boys from the “twin-island republic” romped to a 6-0 lead.
Scoring the full quota goals from Caledonia AIA were individual hat-tricks from Trinidad Under-23 players Trevin Cesar (5th, 20th and 48th minutes) and Jamal Gay (18th, 59th and 70th), double strike from Abdulla Guerra (35th and 58th minutes), Abdallah Phillips in the 39th and an own goal in the 85th minute. Leonard Adams in the 60th minute scored the Berbicians lone strike in a truly one-sided encounter.
Bartica side Mill Ballers who defeated Kuru Kuru Warriors 2-1 in the opening game of the competition, disposed of a second team from the “ancient county” on the night by toppling Rosignol United 3-0 on penalty kicks.
In a fairly closely fought clash that resulted in the game leveled at 1-1 at full and extra time, after Conrad Smith (Mill Ballers) and Clifford Campbell (Rosignol United) scored within three minutes of each other in the 11th and 14th minutes during the first half. However the Region 7 side in the dreaded penalty shoot-out was the more precise side under pressure, which aided them in converting 3 of their 5 spot kicks to come on victorious at the end.
On Boxing Day saw both Linden teams Amelia’s Ward and Milerock FC triumphing in front of their home fans by defeating their respective opponents Bakewell Buxton Stars and Caribbean United by comfortable 3-0 and 2-0 margins.
Amelia’s Ward, who upset 2009 Champions BK Western Tigers in their opening match on December 16 at the Georgetown Football Club Bourda ground in a tense 4-3 penalty shootout win, took confidence from that win to outplay the Buxton unit.
Two first half goals from Ezra Green in the 12th minute and Travis Watterton in 32nd minute took them into the interval with a 2-0 advantage, before Watterton completed the rout with his second strike in the 64th minute.
In the eagerly anticipated match between Milerock and Barbados side Caribbean United, the two-time Kashif and Shanghai champions toppled the Bajan side 2-0.
Both teams entered this quarter-final match up on the back of equally impressive 2-0 wins in the round of 16 phase over Seawall FC and Winners connection.
But it was Mill Ballers, who recruited guest players such as past/current Golden Jaguars players Charles “Lilly” Pollard, Andrew Durant, Carey Harris and Trinidad and Tobago striker Kendall Jagdeosingh, which controlled the game for the duration of the 90 minutes.
Jerome scored goals in consecutive games with a strike in 36th minute before defender Pollard scored in the 56th minute.
The victories mean that Amelia’s Ward and Milerock will play the winners of today’s quarter-final matches at Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bourda between Mill Ballers/Pele and Caledonia AIA/Victoria Kings in the semi-finals on December 30.
Photo Caption: Two of the Caledonia AIA goal-scorers Jamal Gay and Atullah Guerra.
