Tucville clinched the Ministry of Health/Petra Organization Soft Shoe football championships Sunday edging North East La Penitence 2-1 on penalty kicks at the Ministry of Education Ground. With the score tied 2-2 at the end of normal and extra time interval, penalty kicks were required to decide the outcome in front of a large gathering.
First up was Michael Payne of North East La Penitence who gave his side the ideal start, firing his right foot effort down the centre of the net.
The shootout started in the worst possible manner for Tucville as Delon Williams was denied by custodian Devon Charles who dived low to his right, sparking celebrations from the partisan crowd.
Alwin Moore was gifted an opportunity to strengthen North East La Penitence’s grip at the start of the second round but failed to capitalise on the chance as he placed his shot onto the left upright, much to the relief of the Tucville unit.
Dennis Edwards then equalised for Tucville with a powerful right foot attempt which grazed the left post and settled into the left corner.
It went from bad to worse for North East La Penitence as Shaquille Brown lashed their third and final effort well wide of the right side, handing their foes the chance to seal the title.
The opportunity presented was capitalised on as Rafael Edwards unleashed a powerful shot into the lower left corner allowing Tucville to claim the top prize of $300,000 and a trophy while the losing team received $200,000 and the runners-up accolade.
Prior to the end the matchup threatened to be a lopsided encounter as Tucville secured a two-goal lead in the space of as many minutes.
Delon Williams opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a sliding finish from inside the left of the box after an initial strike was parried into his onrushing path.
Kareem Knights made it 2-0 in the 10th minute, racing down the right side before unleashing a powerful finish into the top left corner. The score almost ballooned in the 13th minute as a thunderous Reshawn Sandiford shot from the right side cannoned into the right upright.
Complacency then crept into the Tucville unit as Delon Hult pulled one back in the 18th minute, slotting home unchallenged inside the box after collecting a right side cross.
Following the start of the second period, Edwards should have re-established Tucville’s lead in the 24th minute, dribbling his marker at the top of the box, only to blast his shot straight at custodian. Chavez Lescott was also presented with a great chance to increase Tucville’s lead in the 28th minute but like his teammate before him, the veteran midfielder directed his left side attempt directly at the custodian.
The failure to convert their opportunities came back to haunt Tucville as Calvin Moore equalised in the 35th minute, racing away into a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper before stabbing the ball down the centre of the net after his first shot was spilt.
Tucville should have retaken the lead one minute later but Rafael Edwards, with only the custodian in his path following a right side pass from sibling Dennis Edwards, directed his attempt onto the right post.
Meeting the team prior to the start of the final was Petra Organization Co-Director Troy Mendonca who also conducted the ceremonial kickoff.
Meanwhile, in the third place playoff, Sparta Boss defeated Broad Street 10-3 with Gregory Richardson recording a helmet-trick in the fourth, 14th, 32nd and 33rd minute. Assisting with a hat-trick in the first, 16th and 27th minute was Jerome Richardson while Devon Millington scored a brace in the second and fifth minute.
Scoring in the 40th minute was Roberto Osbourne. For Broad Street, Leon Richardson scored a brace in the 24th and 39th minute while Jimmy Gravesande netted in the 15th minute.
Sparta Boss collected $100,000 and the respective trophy while Broad Street pocketed $50,000 and the corresponding accolade.
Tucville’s Edwards was adjudged the event’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) while Richardson collected the Highest Goal Scorer accolade of a gold chain compliments of Junior’s Jewellery with 12 conversions.
Other sponsors of the event included the Ministry of Public Health, the Guyana Beverage Incorporated, GTT, Lucky Dollar, Nigel Supermarket, Star Party Rentals and 2-J’s General Store.
