Western Tigers sealed their berth to the quarterfinal section of the Mayor’s Cup knockout football tourney, overcoming Agricola Red Triangle by a 2-0 margin on Friday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground in Bourda.
Darren Benjamin proved to be the difference between the two sides as he registered a double on either side of half time in the 14th and 84th minutes correspondingly. With the win, the Tigers will now faceoff with the victors of the Guyana Defence Force and Ann’s Grove matchup.
In the earlier exchanges of the physical affair, Benjamin would open the scoring in a clinical manner, lobbing his effort over the advancing custodian to the right hand corner, after receiving the ball within the left side of the area.
The West Ruimveldt giants almost doubled their lead in the 29th minute as Joshua Britton fired his effort wide of the right corner from within the centre of the box, after racing onto a left sided pass from Benjamin.
The East Bank of Demerara side would fashion their first chance in the 51st minute as Gordon Grant lashed his attempt wide of the right corner, after latching onto a pass within the right side of the area.
Linden Picketts would then see his curling freekick from just outside the centre of the box sail narrowly wide of the right corner in the 67th minute as Agricola began to throw bodies forward in search of an equaliser.
Western Tigers would then be denied from increasing their advance in the 77th minute as a Michael Pedro effort from the left side of the area, was parried smartly by the opposing custodian.
Nonetheless the fixture would be sealed seven minutes onward as Benjamin rifled his effort from the top of the box past the custodian into the left hand corner. In the earlier fixture, Riddim Squad defeated Golden Grove FC 3-1 to punch their ticket to the final eight section.
Shortened to 70 minutes due to a late start, Sceyon Hope, Amos Ramsay and Kevin Agard netted for the Mocha based unit in the sixth, 58th and 70th+2 minutes correspondingly. On target in the loss was Emmit Leacock in the 14th minute.
Riddim Squad will now lock horns with the winner of the Slingerz and Mahaica fixture. Winners of the event will receive $1,000,000 and the championship trophy while the runners-up will pocket $300,000 and the respective title.
The third and fourth positioned teams will walk away with $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade.
