Underdogs Georgetown Football Club (GFC) were crowned the inaugural Massy United Insurance Company-sponsored Fruta Conquerors U-15 champs upsetting previously undefeated Renaissance FC 3-1 on penalty kicks on Saturday.
With the score locked at 1-1 at the Tucville ground at the end of normal and extra time, the opening round of penalty kicks would witness both sides scoring from the mark as Calvin Peters scored for Renaissance and Isaiah Jack netted for GFC.
The East Ruimveldt-based side would then miss in their second attempt from the mark as Isaiah Nero fired his effort wide of the left corner. Rondel Peters would quickly capitalize for GFC as he converted from the spot to give them a 2-1 advantage.
It would go from bad to worse for Renaissance as Shemar Bobb was denied smartly by the goalkeeper Sersi Norville to his right in the third round. However, the Bourda-based side would fail to capitalize on Renaissance’s failure as Kellon Blue lashed his effort wide of the left side.
Given a reprieve following the failure of GFC in the third round, Renaissance would once again fail to hit the target as Carl Lynch missed from the spot in their fourth attempt.
Needing simply to convert to seal the championship, Rueben Miller would make no mistake from mark, igniting wild celebrations on the field as he fired his effort into the right hand corner of the goal.
With the win, GFC walked away with the championship trophy and the winners medals while Renaissance received the runners-up accolade.
The earlier moments of the fixture saw GFC fashioning the first attempt on goal as Closson McLaren thumped his right footed attempt onto the crossbar in the 17th minute from within the right side of the area.
Blue would then be denied by the ‘keeper in the 24th minute following a one-on-one situation after an initial 23-yard free kick from the centre of the field was parried into this path within the box.
GFC would finally consolidate their earlier dominance as Blue opened the scoring six minutes later, finishing past the ‘keeper down the centre of the net with only the ‘keeper in his path, after a lobbed ball from the centre of the field sailed over the heads of the rearguard.
Under pressure for most of the opening half, Renaissance would level the matchup four minutes onward as Bobb netted, volleying his right-footed strike into the left corner, after receiving a lobbed pass from the left side of the field within the centre of the box.
Marcus Wilson almost pushed Renaissance into the lead in the 40th minute of the second stanza compliments of a right-footed strike that flew just over the crossbar after, latching onto a loose ball at the top of the box.
GFC shot-stopper Norville would then deny Bobb in the 52nd minute low to his right from inside the centre of the box as Renaissance began to throw bodies forward looking to find the go-ahead winner before extra time.
The woodwork would then come to the rescue of the Renaissance outfit as a right side strike from Blue was parried onto the crossbar by the opposing goalkeeper in the 69th minute of the extra time interval.
In the earlier third place playoff, Santos FC squeaked past Western Tigers by a 1-0 score line compliments of a Naseem Algernon strike in the 58th minute.
Pouncing on a loose ball within the centre of the box, Algernon would unleash a powerful right-footed volley which rifled into the top right hand corner, leaving the West Ruimveldt custodian rooted to the spot. With the win, Santos FC walked away with the third place accolade.
In the individual section of the presentation, GFC’s Norville received the most valuable player (MVP) award while Reshawn Ritch of Fruta Conquerors collected the high goal scorer award with seven conversions.
Meeting the teams prior to the commencement of the final was Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee member Dr. Karen Pilgrim.
