By Emmerson Campbell
Two second half goals by Amelia’s Ward United earned the Linden side a two-nil victory over Mill Ballers in the opening game of the 23rd Kashif and Shanghai Tournament which kicked off Sunday night at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.
Goals by forward Keon Hall (63rd minute) and defender Trenton Lashley (67th minute) four minutes apart propelled Amelia’s Ward into the quarter finals and one step closer to the four million dollars first prize.
The two strikes also put paid to the hopes of Mill Ballers of Bartica.
Despite playing in front of a small crowd on a muddy ground because of the recent rainy weather, both teams in the first game of the double header came out aggressively seeking to seize the advantage. The slippery field prevented Amelia’s Ward and Mill Ballers from finding their rhythm which led to countless broken plays and missed shots.
Eventually both sides adjusted to the playing conditions and started to string together passes which led to scoring opportunities but off target shots coupled with saves from the goalkeepers kept the game at nil all after 45 minutes of play.
After halftime, the team from the mining town came out in attack mode, chasing loose balls, tackling and creating scoring chances which either were saved or hit the cross bar.
Amelia’s Ward was rewarded for their added aggression when Hall broke down the defence and buried a right footed screamer that eluded the outstretched Mill Ballers’ custodian.
Lashley mirrored Hall’s accuracy four minutes later when he ran all the way from mid field and found the back of the net just inside the 18-yard box.
Throughout the remainder of the game, both teams were guilty of squandering easy scoring opportunities and the score line remained two-nil.
In the other game which was played between Pele and Buxton Stars prior to the march past and the grand opening, the former demolished their opponents, six-nil. A hat trick by national forward, Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson (34th, 51st and 68th minutes) along with strikes from national midfielder, Konata Mannings (fourth minute), Seon Thomas (66th minute) and Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant (89th minute) made up Pele’s goal fest.
There was also the march past of the 16 competing teams Saturday night, followed by the grand opening.
At the opening were Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, Mayor Hamilton Green, acting president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Franklin Wilson and Parliamentary Advisor on Empowerment, Odinga Lumumba who all made brief remarks calling for an end to the saga between the Kashif and Shanghai Organization and the Banks/Georgetown Football Association (GFA) tournament.
Lisa Punch sang the national anthem.
Lucky ticket holders won cell phones, a motor cycle, food hampers and other prizes.
The tournament’s action will continue tomorrow evening at the B.V Ground. Buxton United will tackle Winner’s Connection at 18:30hrs, while Timehri Panthers will take on the host, B.V Triumph two hours later.
The grand final will be staged on January 1 at the Providence National Stadium.
