By Emmerson Campbell
Den Amstel and Silver Shattas football team both clinched quarter-final places in this year’s 23rd annual Kashif and Shanghai football tournament after they won their respective games against Milerock and Uitvlugt United Sunday night at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground.
Silver Shattas out gunned Uitvlugt, four-one in the penalty shootout after the game ended in a 3-3 draw after extra time while Dem Amstel needled Milerock 1-0 in the 28th minute of extra time after both teams scored a goal each in regulation time.
Uitvlugt was guilty of throwing the game away as Silver Shattas overcame a 1-3 deficit to claim a hard-fought victory.
After John Waldron scored for Silver Shattas in the sixth minute, national forward, Trayon Bobb equalized for Uitvlugt four minutes later to send the sizeable crowd into a frenzy. Both teams had chances to score in the highly-entertaining match but failed to find the back of the net and headed into the dressing room knotted at one a piece at lemon time.
Both teams came out of the dressing room more aggressively to try and seize the advantage. However, 11 minutes after half-time, a rampant Lennox Torrington broke down Silver Shattas’ defence and buried a right footer just inside the box to put Uitvlugt, one goal clear of their opponents.
Three minutes later, Ryan Andries, mirrored Torrington’s accuracy when he found the back of the net in similar fashion to seemingly ice the game.
The Silver Shattas side was not daunted by being two goals down and, instead of hanging their heads, they played even harder and were rewarded for their effort in the 82nd minute when Romel Matthews breached Uitvlugt’s defence and nailed a right-foot screamer.
On the stroke of the 90th minute, one of Uitvlugt’s defenders was guilty of committing a foul in the penalty area and Waldron converted to record his double and send the game into extra time.
After two 15-minute halves of back and forth play, the score was still tied at three-all and the game went to penalties.
In the Milerock/ Den Amstel game, Rondell Hutson (fifth minute) and Andre Hector (28th minute of extra time) scored for Den Amstel while Colwyn David scored for Milerock.
Buxton United, B.V. Triumph, Pele, Amelia’s Ward United, Western Tigers and Alpha United are the other teams that booked quarter-final places.
Lucky ticket holders won cell phones, a motor cycle, food hampers and other prizes.
The tournament’s action will continue this evening with another double-header at the GFC Ground.
Pele will tackle Silver Shattas at 6:30pm, while Alpha United will take on BV Triumph at 8:30pm for semi final berths.
