From Emmerson Campbell
in St Lucia
The Golden Jaguars bounced back from Sunday’s 1-2 loss to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in their opening game of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Cup by downing their other Group Two foe, Curacao by two goals to one last night at the Beausejour Stadium here in Gros Islet, St Lucia.
A second minute goal by striker Vurlon Mills and a penalty by Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson on the stroke of half time enabled the Jaguars to roar to victory over the Lesser Antilles side.
Despite squandering about a dozen other chances to score, many of which were from point blank range, the senior national team did enough to earn the three points and avoid successive defeats.
The Jaguars started the game aggressively, fighting for loose balls and dominating possession. This relentless pressure paid off as Captain Chris Nurse pounced on an errant pass and sent a well timed pass to Mills who was unmarked just outside the 18-yard box.
Mills then dribbled a Curacao defender before sending a left footed screamer that found the back of the net to put the locals up.
Both teams would create chances to score but mistimed shots coupled with brilliant saves from the goalkeepers kept the score at one-nil.
Guyana, however, would go two-nil up on the stroke of half time when Richardson converted a penalty after Curacao goalkeeper Jose Sumpter had fouled Sheldon Holder inside the 18-yard box.
The Curacao players came out attacking after halftime and would find the back of the net after right winger Randolf Winklaar caught the defence out of position and scored at point blank range in the 53rd minute.
At the post match press conference, Coach Jamaal Shabazz stated that despite winning the game the team must perform much better in their next game against the hosts to gain three more points.
“I think our guys are professional enough to pick themselves up,” Shabazz said. “We won the game but we are annoyed with ourselves. I must congratulate the Curacao side they played well but going into the St Lucia game I think we have what it takes to pick ourselves up and get three points because the result of that game determines if we are through to the next round or not.”
Guyana’s next CFU match versus St Lucia kicks off tomorrow at the same venue at 20:30hrs.
Meanwhile up to half time St. Lucia and St. Vincent were tied nil-nil in their game last night.
Guyana’s starting 11:-Nurse, Richardson, Mills, Holder, Ronson Williams (goal keeper), Charles Pollard, Konata Mannings, Dwight Peters, Colin Nelson, Kelvin Smith and Walter Moore
Curacao’s 11:-Winklaar, Sumter (goal keeper), Christopher Bernadus, Tadeo Colina, Emmanuel Felomina, Alexander Isenia, Jesus Johannes, Lawanda Kierindongo, Cecil Lake, Valerio Lourens, Lorencia Martins and Miguel Martina.
