The dynasty continued as Christianburg/Wismar sealed their fourth consecutive championship, squeaking past Georgetown unit Chase Academy 2-1 when the 5th Annual Digicel Secondary School Championships concluded yesterday at the National Stadium in Providence.
Despite being outplayed for majority of the fixture in front of a very large viewership, goals from Amar Jones and Omar Brewley in the fourth and 58th minutes respectively ensured the championship trophy remained in the Mining town.
On target in the loss was Kelsey Benjamin in the 76th minute. With the win, Christianburg/Wismar retained the championship and walked with $1,000,000 towards the funding of a school project.
The challengers for their effort received the corresponding accolade and $600,000 towards the funding of a school initiative.
The pageantry of meeting dignitaries such as Director of Sports Christopher Jones, Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry, Digicel CEO Kevin Kelly, Marketing Manager of Digicel Jacqueline James and Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee Member Eric Phillips did nothing to hamper the nature of the contest as the challenges quickly commenced.
The defending champs snatched the early lead in their very first attack of the fixture as a towering header from Jones sent his team’s large support group into a frenzy.
Awaiting a right sided corner kick within the centre of the box, Jones climbed above everyone to direct his attempt into the right hand corner, giving the opposing custodian Amoniki Forde no chance.
The early goal definitely disrupted Chase Academy’s fluency who despite the majority of possession failed to penetrate the Linden backline.
They would eventually register their first dangerous attempt on target in the 19th minute as Benjamin upon skipping past his marker on the left side of the field, fired his shot just wide of the lower left hand corner.
Similarly on the other end, the holders almost doubled their lead two minutes later as a curling right footed Brewley free kick from 24 yards out in the centre of the field, crashed into the crossbar, much to the disbelief of his team-mates.
The chances continued for both sides as the minutes ticked away. However Chase Academy should have levelled the score in the 37th minute as Benjamin missed a glorious chance.
Pouncing on a botched clearance with only keeper in his path, the dynamic forward missed his attempted volleyed shot while unchallenged within the box, igniting shouts of anger among his team’s fandom as holders went into the half with their lead intact.
The intensity of the first half continued in the second period as both teams tried to strengthen their contrasting positions.
It was the Lindeners that made the early inroad in the period, increasing their lead 13 minutes into the half as Brewley placed a left footed shot into the right hand corner from just outside the box, further igniting a celebratory atmosphere in his team’s camp.
Staring down a 2-0 deficit and guilty of over playing the ball for most of the night in the final third of holders, the Georgetown unit eventually grabbed a lifeline as Benjamin was brought down within the left side of the box, forcing the official to point to the penalty mark.
Tasked with the responsibility of converting from the distance, Benjamin did not disappoint as he finished his effort into the right hand corner, giving his fan base a reason to celebrate and believe.
Benjamin almost sent the fixture into the penalty kick route in the 85th minute, turning his marker within the centre of the box before unleashing his shot that went through the keeper’s hands, only to be clawed back from crossing the goal-line by the latter.
The holders would eventually survive the tense remaining minutes through stout defending as the official sounded his whistle to bring a close to the match, confirming their status as the undisputed champs at this level.
In the third place playoff, Annai Secondary defeated Waramadong Secondary 4-3 on penalty kicks after normal time finished 3-3.
Taking first strike from the mark was Waramadong who netted. Annai quickly followed as they equalized with their first strike from the distance. Waramadong then took the lead in the second round as they netted while Annai failed to score.
The momentum then changed sides once more as Waramadong failed to score in their third attempt. Annai quickly capitalized to level the score with their third effort from the mark. Waramadong’s failure from the mark continued in the fourth round as they missed once more.
Once again, Annai took advantage as they scored in their fourth effort to take a 3-2 lead. Needing to score to keep their hopes alive, Waramadong delivered from the mark, netting in their fifth and final attempt.
Nonetheless with only a conversion needed to seal the win, Annai would clinch the result as captain Garville Daniels scored. With the win, Annai Secondary walked away with the third place trophy and $400,000 towards the funding of a school project while the loser received $350,000 towards a school project and the respective accolade.
Prior to the penalty shoot-out, Annai took the early lead in the second minute as Sherral Daniels (sibling) scored with a tame shot from the right side of the box that went comically through the hands of the keeper and into the back of the net.
Annai then doubled their lead in the 28th minute as Sherral Daniels netted his second of the match, placing his effort from the right side of the box, under the body of the diving keeper, after racing onto a loose ball that originated from the right side of the field.
Waramadong eventually got back into the fixture in the 45th+1 minute under dubious circumstances as they were awarded a penalty kick following a slightest of contact within the right side of the box.
Stepping up to take the spot-kick was Deon Rodrigues who buried his effort into the lower right hand corner to cut the deficit going into the half time interval.
The three time losing finalist eventually leveled the score in the 46th minute of the second half compliments of Azual Medina, who fired his effort into the lower left hand corner following a quick passing combination.
Waramadong eventually took the lead in the 64th minute as Medina grabbed his brace, finishing down the centre of the net following one-on-one situation, after racing onto a lobbed past over the defensive line.
Nevertheless, Annai restored parity to proceedings in the 82nd minute, pushing the game into its eventual end as Triston Daniels scored.
Receiving the ball 22 yards from goal in the centre of the field, Daniels unleashed a powerful effort that the keeper could only push into the lower right hand corner of the net.
At the presentation ceremony that followed the conclusion of the event, Captain and custodian of Christianburg/Wismar Tevin Crawford received the golden glove award while Sherral Daniel of Annai walked away with the golden boot award for most goals.
