Efficient goalkeeping from Troy Carrington coupled with poor penalty kicks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), propelled Western Tigers into the final of the Stag Nations Cup, defeating the lawmen 6-5 on sudden death kicks on Sunday.
Kicks from the penalty mark were required to settle the cagey encounter in front of a sizable crowd at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, after normal and extra time saw the match ending 1-1.
Lerone Charles started the shoot-out and gave GPF the ideal platform, placing his effort into the lower right corner. Western Tigers quickly fell behind as Jorell Tyrell fired their first effort high over the crossbar.
Jermaine Grandison then had the perfect opportunity to double the officers lead at the start of the second round only to be denied the diving Carrington.
However, the lawmen maintained their advantage as a Philip Rowley shot was saved by the GPF custodian to his right. On the other side, Junior Gordon spurned a great chance in the third round to increase the lawmen’s advantage, dragging his attempt wide of the right corner.
The West Ruimveldt side eventually levelled the match at 1-1, with Jamal Pedro placing his left foot shot into the left corner. The misses continued for Police as Carrington denied a tame effort to his right at the start of the fourth round.
However, Western Tigers then fluffed a great chance to take the lead for the first time, with Randolph Wagner blasting his shot over the crossbar.
The match was then sent into the sudden death realm as, GPF’s Dwayne Charles and Western Tigers Cleon Forester netted in the fifth round.
It was from this point that both teams seemed to find their range, with GPF’s Kester Dundas and Shane Morris of Western Tigers netting to make it 3-3.
The trend continued in the next wave of attempts as the score ballooned to 4-4, with both teams scoring once again. Kevin Boston and Joshua Britton were then on target for GPF and Western Tigers respectively to push the score to 5-5.
However, Carrington made his presence felt once more to deny GPF with a diving save to his right, handing his team the chance to seal the outcome.
Tasked with the responsibility Ryan Adolph made no mistake as he fired his effort into the top left corner to clinch the result.
Prior to the dramatic end, the West Ruimveldt unit took the lead in the 35th minute through Dwayne McLennon, who stabbed home from inside the right of the six yard area, after an initial strike from Randolph Wagner, deflected under the advancing goalkeeper and rolled into his onrushing path.
However, GPF levelled proceedings in the 61st minute as Quincy Holder rose above his marker to direct header into the top left corner after collecting a perfectly placed left side cross from Gordon.
Anthio Wallace almost snatched the win for the officers in the 88th minute, volleying a powerful effort onto the crossbar from inside the centre of the area, following another brilliant left side cross from Gordon.
Western Tigers will now oppose Santos in the final on February 5th at the same venue, after the latter prevailed over Riddim Squad 1-0 in the earlier semifinal affair.
Elon David was the difference on the night as, he etched his name on the scorer’s sheet in the 35th minute. Meanwhile, the two losing semi-finalists will face-off in the third place playoff.
Winner of the event will pocket $2,000,000 and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth placed unit will walk-away $1,000,000, $500,000 and $300,000 respectively and a trophy.
