Victoria Kings overcame Agricola Red Triangle 3-1 on penalty kicks when the 22nd edition of the Mayor’s Cup Football Championships commenced Friday at the Victoria Community Centre Ground.
The two sides played to a 2-2 stalemate at the end of normal and extra time requiring penalty kicks to determine the winner.
Asked to take first strike from the distance, the home side started poorly as Reuben Miller missed.
The visitors then scored their first attempt to lead 1-0 before Calvin DeSouza equalized for the hosts.
Agricola Red Triangle then missed in their second attempt and Victoria
seized the lead in the third round when Akeem Holder scored.
Agricola then failed to score 1-2 heading into the fourth round.
Sherlock Dowden strengthened the home side’s position as he netted from the distance to make it 3-1. Needing a conversion to keep their hopes alive, Agricola sealed their own fate as they missed their third consecutive attempt.
Prior to the conclusion, Orwin Bishop gave Victoria the lead in the eighth minute. Latching onto a left side cross inside the penalty box he calmly placed his effort into the back of the net.
Travis James made it 2-0 in 38th minute. Racing onto a through pass down the centre of the field he managed to cut across his marker before placing his effort past the onrushing goalkeeper
However, it quickly became a game of two halves as Agricola Red Triangle scored two goals to send the contest into extra time. The first came in the 55th minute as an attempted clearance by the defender ricocheted off the body of a player and fell into the path of the Agricola forward who converted.
The second came in sublime fashion as Kacey John scored in the 87th minute. Skipping past his marker on the left flank before cutting onto his favoured right leg, he rifled a shot into the lower right corner, stunning the sizeable crowd in the process.
Meanwhile in the earlier contest, Grove Hi-Tech squeaked past Buxton Stars 1-0. Joel Dick was the difference on the night, netting in the 45th minute as finished into the back of the net, after pouncing on a loose ball which was spilt by the goalkeeper from an initial strike of his teammate.
The event will continue today at Den Amstel. In the opening contest, Pouderoyen will lock horns with Soesdyke Falcons from 14:00hrs while in the feature contest, home side Den Amstel will face-off with Kuru-Kururu Warriors from 16:00hrs.
Winner of the event will receive $700,000 and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth place finishers will pocket $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade.
