League leaders Pele FC handed Alpha United their first defeat in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League, crushing their fierce rivals by a 3-0 score line on Wednesday at the Camp Ayanganna ground.
It was an uncharacteristic performance from the ‘Hammer’ as they were outplayed for the majority of the fixture, surrendering goals on either side of half time compliments of strikes from Ronel Gordon, Jumane Somerset and Jamal Cozier in the 15th, 19th and 86th minutes respectively.
As a result of the win, Pele move onto 17 points and solidify their position at the top of the standings while Alpha United remain in the second position on 13 points.
With their first matchup ending in a 2-2 draw, the contest started off brightly for Alpha as Kithson Bain was denied in the seventh minute from within the right side of the box, after pouncing on a botched clearance by the centre half Jumane Somerset.
The aforesaid attacking play proved to be an aberration for the ‘Hammer’ as Gordon broke the deadlock nine minutes onward, stabbing his effort just over the goal-line according to the official following a goal mouth scramble.
As quickly as Pele took the lead they almost surrendered it one minute later as Delon Lanferman finished his effort into the centre of the net following a one-on-one situation after racing onto a pass, only to be denied by the assistant referee’s off side call.
It then went from bad to worse for Alpha as Somerset scored with a header into the net from within the six-yard box, after a left-sided cross following a corner kick was parried into his path by the keeper Dorville Stewart.
Pele’s dominance continued in the second half as Darren Harris was denied in the 47th minute from within the right side of the box by the diving custodian.
Lanferman then missed a great opportunity to cut the deficit to one in the 52nd minute, blasting his first-time right-footed effort wide of the right-hand corner, after a left-sided cross fell into his onrushing path within the right side of the area.
Omallo Williams was the next to waste a glorious chance to increase his charges’ lead in the 62nd minute, volleying his effort within the left side of the box straight at the keeper, after collecting a right-sided cross unchallenged.
An unfortunate event befell Pele one minute later as Omallo Williams was shown a red card for a clumsy challenge after picking up his second bookable offence.
Sherwin Skeete then came close to pulling one back for the ‘Hammer’ in the 81st, cutting in from the right side of the field before rifling his effort past the lower right-hand corner lower after cutting in from the right side of the field.
Alpha ‘s numerical advantage did not seem to matter as Cozier grabbed the third one of the night five minutes onward, placing his effort into the right-hand corner from the centre of the box, after an initial Deon Alfred strike was deflected into his path.
Richardson almost heaped further misery on the Alpha United scorer in the 87th minute, skipping past his marker after cutting into the box from the right side of the field.
In the opening contest, Slingerz thrashed the Georgetown Football Club by a 5-0 margin. Action in the championship will continue tomorrow at the No. #5 ground in Berbice with another doubleheader.
Winner of the round will pocket $4,000,000 while the second, third and fourth-place teams will collect $2,000,000, $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively. Similarly, the points leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1000,000.
Current Points Standings
Team GP W L D GF GA GD Pts
Pele 8 5 1 2 17 8 +9 17
Alpha
United 8 3 1 4 10 7 +3 13
Slingerz 8 4 1 3 12 4 +8 12
Guyana Defence
Force 8 3 3 2 13 10 +3 11
Fruta
Conquerors 8 3 3 2 9 10 -1 11
Buxton
United 8 3 5 0 6 11 -5 9
Monedderlust 8 2 5 1 7 14 -7 7
GFC 8 1 5 2 6 15 -9 5
