In what will certainly have an impact on the eventual outcome of the KFC Elite League, Santos handed Western Tigers their first loss in the competition, prevailing by a 5-1 score-line on Saturday evening at the National Training Centre, Leonora.
Osafo Simpson opened the scoring for Santos in the 26th minute, racing onto a through pass before slamming his effort past the advancing goalkeeper during a one-on-one situation.
Santos doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when Azardee King uncorked a powerful strike from 25 yards in the centre of the field which nestled into the back of the net after latching onto a poor clearance from a corner-kick. The lead would remain unchanged heading into the halftime interval.
Upon the resumption of play to start the second half, Ryan October further strengthened Santos’s grip on the contest, slamming his effort into the back of the net in the 47th minute to make it 3-0.
Curtez Kellman reduced the deficit for the West Ruimveldt outfit in the 73rd minute, blasting a right-footed effort from the top of the box into the right corner.
However, any hopes of a positive result for Western Tigers was extinguished as Santos recorded two more goals in the space of 11 minutes. Forced to push players into attack, Western Tigers was caught on the counterattack on both occasions.
Lennox Young made it 4-1 in the 84th minute, racing onto a through pass to be in a four-on-two situation between dribbling the goalkeeper and slotting into the back of the net.
Dexter Culpepper then sealed the outcome in the 90th+5 minute, slamming his effort into the back of the net from inside the box, after receiving a pass unchallenged following a three on one situation.
Meanwhile, Den Amstel downed Milerock 2-0. Cleavon Murray and Gideon Payne recorded goals in the 32nd and 68th minute apiece.
Complete Results
Game-1
Den Amstel-2 vs Milerock-0
Cleavon Murray-32nd
Gideon Payne-68th
Game-2
Santos-5 vs Western Tigers-1
Santos scorers
Osafo Simpson-26th
Azardee King-42nd
Ryan October-47th
Lennox Young-84th
Dexter Culpepper-90th+5
Western scorer
Curtez Kellman-73rd
