In front of a large gathering at the Ministry of Education ground yesterday, Stella Maris was crowned the inaugural Health 2000 Guyana Incorporated Girls u-11 champs, upsetting St. Stephen’s 3-1 on penalty kicks after normal time finished 0-0.
With a winner unable to be found during the regulation time interval, Akio Glasgow would push Stella Maris into the lead as she netted their first attempt from the mark. Naomi Campbell would quickly level the score from the spot as she netted St. Stephen’s first penalty kick.
Eventual tournament most valuable player (MVP) Ludesha Reynolds would push the Woolford Avenue side back into the lead, converting into the roof of the net. Reynold would then make her presence felt once more, denying Ashanti Corlette from the mark to keep Stella Maris ahead.
Needing to simply score to seal the win in the third and final round, Destiny George would make no mistake from the distance as she dispatched her effort into the right hand corner to spark wild scenes on the field.
Prior to the penalty shoot-out following the ceremonial kick by Health 2000 Guyana Incorporated’s Maliaka Persaud, St. Stephens should have taken the lead in the cagey encounter after they were awarded a penalty kick in the 19th minute for a handball infraction.
Tasked with taking the spot-kick, Campbell would see her powerful effort canon into the base of the right upright and roll out of play, much to the disappointment of her teammates and fan base.
Due to the win, Stella Maris received new teams kits, the championship trophy and winners medals. St. Stephen’s for their showing, walked away with the runners-up trophy, medals and five footballs.
In the third place playoff, Enterprise Primary defeated West Ruimveldt by a 2-1 score line on penalty kicks after normal time finished 1-1.
Nikita Prince gave West Ruimveldt the early lead in the 16th minute, rifling her powerful flat right-footed attempt into the lower right-hand corner, from the centre of the field.
However Enterprise would push the matchup into penalty kicks as tournament top scorer Aliyah Elaine netted in the 19th minute, stabbing her flat strike down centre of the goal after latching onto a right-sided pass within the centre of the area.
Due to the win, Enterprise received the corresponding trophy and three footballs while West Ruimveldt walked away with the respective trophy and two footballs.
Laying claim to the fifth position was North Georgetown who defeated South Ruimveldt 3-2 on penalty kicks after normal time ended 0-0 in their showdown for the 5th and 6th positions.
In other results, Tucville Primary secured the seventh position, defeating F.E. Pollard by a 2-0 margin in the 7-8 section. Sharmin Elexey opened the scoring in the third minute while Jenicka Hackett secured the win with a 14th conversion.
In the presentation ceremony that followed the finale, teams finishing in positions 5-8 received trophies while the most disciplined team was adjudged to be St. Stephen’s. Rawlston Trim of St. Stephen’s would also be adjudged the event’s best coach.
In the individual award section, Reynolds of Stella Maris was adjudged the event’s MVP for her exploits in the finale and earlier semi-final while Elaine of Enterprise was the event’s highest goal scorer with eight goals.
Receiving the best goal keeper award was Amerisa Braithwaite of North Georgetown after conceding no goals throughout the event.
