A failed Eon Alleyne extra-time penalty kick in the dying minutes relegated Fruta Conquerors to their exit from the 25th Kashif and Shanghai tourney going down to Bakewell Slingerz FC 1-2 at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground on Friday.
Trailing 1-2 in front of a sizeable crowd, the Tucville unit would be awarded a penalty kick in the 118th minute after Solomon Austin handled the ball within the area from a Jermin Junior right-side cross.
Tasked with taking the spot-kick and with the crowd on his side, Alleyne would tamely place his right-footed shot towards the right side of the goal, only to be easily denied by fellow Golden Jaguar Akel Clarke, much to the disappointment of the gathering.
Slingerz would eventually hold on to claim the win in the remaining two minutes, setting up a semi-final matchup with the winner of the Western Tigers and Riddim Squad fixture.
In the earlier exchanges, Fruta Conquerors almost got off to the perfect start in the second minute as a Delon Williams decoy pass from a right side freekick outside the box, found Odel Williams within the six-yard box. Williams, though, failed to get off his shot allowing the onrushing Clarke to smother the danger.
The woodwork would then deny the Vergenoegen unit in the 12th minute as a volleyed Devon Millington strike from the top of the box, cannoned into the left upright much to the relief of custodian Oswald Cornette who was rooted to the spot.
A two on one situation would go abegging for Fruta Conquerors in the 27th minute as Alleyne, upon stealing the ball from defender Colin Nelson, raced into the left side of the box before squaring the ball onto the path of Junior who meekly struck his effort to the advancing Clarke.
Slingerz would then take the lead seven minutes later as former Fruta Conquerors striker Dwayne Lawrence upon latching onto a botched headed clearance on top of the box, volleyed his effort past the diving Cornette into the right hand corner.
Vurlon Mills almost added to the tally in the 43rd minute, curling his right-footed, 23-yard freekick from outside the left of the box, narrowly over the crossbar as Slingerz FC ended the half strongly.
The West Demerara unit nearly increased their lead in the 55th minute as Millington, upon racing into the right side of the box, lashed his effort just wide of the left corner following pressure from the onrushing Cornette, after being in a one-on-one situation.
Another chance would fall by the wayside for the Georgetown unit in the 69th minute as Odel Williams, upon pouncing on a failed headed attempt within the centre of the box, skied his effort over the crossbar after being under no duress.
An indirect freekick after Clarke held the ball over the allowed six seconds period within the right of the box would lead to Fruta Conquerors levelling the scores in the 82nd minute.
Lurking within the left side of the penalty box, substitute forward Travis Thornhill would slot his effort down the centre of the goal, after the ball fell into his path following a deflection from the initial freekick.
Despite levelling the score, Fruta Conquerors almost fell behind in the 89th minute but a powerful volleyed strike from Millington within the centre of the box, was denied brilliantly by the diving Cornette to his right, sending the crowd into loud cheers.
With extra time needed to try and settle the outcome, Anthony Abrams would make his presence felt as he pushed Slingerz back into the lead in 99th minute.
Positioned within the area awaiting a Nelson freekick from the top of the box, Abrams would pounce on a parried strike by Cornette, finishing to the right hand corner after the shot-stopper had denied Nelson’s initial freekick and a resulting Millington strike.
It would almost became 3-1 in the 113th minute as Millington once more under pressure from advancing Cornette, fired his right footed effort wide of the left corner from within the penalty area.
Fruta Conquerors would then see a penalty shoot-out waved away by the referee in 115th minute as Alleyne was brought down within the right side of the box by Clarke, who managed a touch on the ball.
The match would then culminate in its dramatic end as the Tucville side was awarded a penalty kick following a handball infringement, resulting in Alleyne’s miss which sealed their exit from the event.
In the opening quarterfinal matchup of the night, Alpha United hammered the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) 5-0 led by a second half brace from Manasseh Primo in the 50th and 64th minutes.
Supporting with solo efforts were Jamal Smith, Ronson Williams and Travis Grant in the 38th, 86th and 90th+1 minutes. Due to the win, Alpha United will now await the winner of the Pele and Winners Connection matchup.
