A 19th minute Colin Nelson free kick secured Western Tigers the Petra Organization/Limacol football championships after they edged the Guyana Police Force (GPF) 1-0 Saturday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.
Awarded a free kick at the top of the penalty box, Nelson, who was deployed in a central midfield role, unleashed a curling left foot strike which crashed into the crossbar and settled into the back of the net.
With the win the West Ruimveldt unit walked away $500,000 and the championship trophy while the lawmen, who stumbled to a second consecutive loss to their budding rival, received $300,000 and the runners-up title.
It was an uncharacteristic performance from the typically trigger happy lawmen who seemed overawed by the situation in front of the mammoth crowd.
Owners of the second best offence with nine goals entering the contest, GPF hardly threatened the Western Tigers backline despite a fair amount of ball possession, recording zero shots on target in the first half.
Arriving as the event’s leading attack with 10 goals, Western Tigers should have doubled their lead following Nelson’s conversion, with Jumane Somerset forcing a brilliant save from the GPF custodian in the 26th minute compliments of a header.
Linden Picketts almost got his name on the scorer’s sheet in the 37th minute, firing wide of the lower left corner from inside the left of the box as, Western Tigers continued to craft opportunities against the clearly rattled lawmen.
The officers eventually crafted their best chance of the contest in the 65th minute, only for Junior Gordon to spurn the effort.
A right side cross from Quincy Holder, fell into Gordon’s path but the onrushing forward inexplicably failed to make contact with the ball despite having the entire goal at his mercy.
On the other end of the field, Nelson almost increased his team’s lead, curling another free kick from just outside the right of the box, which was parried wide of the right corner by the custodian in the 74th minute. Midfield maestro Hubert Pedro was also denied by the lawmen’s goalkeeper in the 85th minute as his free kick from the right side of the field was deflected away by the shot-stopper diving at full stretch to his left.
Meanwhile, in the third place playoff, Winners Connection of Linden downed Santos 5-3 on kicks from the penalty mark after regulation and extra time saw the game tied 2-2.
Keon Sears and Cedrick Hunte scored for the winners in the 27th and 85th minute respectively while Orin Yarde and Keith Caines netted for the losers in the 77th and 83rd minute correspondingly.
The Linden team for their efforts, walked away with $200,000 and a trophy while Santos pocketed $100,000 and the corresponding accolade.
Meeting the teams prior to the commencement of the final were Petra Organization Co-Director Troy Mendonca, National Sports Commission (NSC) Chief, Ivan Persaud, Director of Sports, Christopher Jones and Banks DIH representative, Errol Nelson.
Banks DIH Limited, under the GT Beer Brand, Trophy Stall and Star Party Rentals are the other companies that supported the championships.
