‘Golden Jaguars’ roar to come from behind 3-2 win over Barbados

May 23, 2011 Sports

Sweep 2 game series; return games on this weekend

By Franklin Wilson
The fair size crowd on hand at the Guyana National Stadium Providence did not leave disappointed but absorbed some entertaining football which at the end saw the Golden Jaguars erasing a two goal deficit to defeat Barbados 3-2 making a clean sweep of the Friendly International series.

DOWN AND OUT!!! Barbados goalie Omari Eastmond is caught on his knees watching the ball in the back of the nets; it was the winning goal for Guyana scored by Anani Mohamed (No 13) whose teammates are about to congratulate him. (Franklin Wilson photo)

Having prevailed in game one on Friday by the lone goal of that encounter which came off the boot of Captain Christopher Bourne in the 87th minute, the home team went into yesterday’s game confident of repeating the feat but it certainly did not come easy.
Barbados, always formidable opponents, made it known from the first minute that they were not going to allow the home team to dictate proceedings and scored their first goal in the first minute aided by some ordinary goalkeeping from Oswald Cornette.
Mardona Lavine it was for the lads from the Land of the Flying Fish who handed them the lead in the first run down of the game. It was a goal that surely caught the locals off guard but more alert work at the back from Cornette could have avoided such early pressure.
Guyana, opting to expose a number of Under-23 players who will be representing the country in the CFU Olympic Qualifying competition which commences next month, took some time to get going as a unit while the Bajans were clear in their game plan which was to take the attack to the local side.
Their {Barbados} game plan did bear the required fruits as they doubled the advantage 15 minutes on when Revere Williams capitalized on some ordinary goalkeeping again by Cornette as well as miscommunication at the back to nail his shot into the network much to the delight of his teammates and Technical staff.
The crowd was by now silent and the Guyana team conscious that they had their work cut out. Captain Christopher Bourne tried his best to keep the lads focused on the task of reducing the deficit.
Head Coach Collie Hercules was his usual calm self as he from time to time gesticulated and urged his charges on.
The locals never backed off the throttle; 28 minutes into the battle which saw the Bajans using their bigger physique to their advantage against the much smaller home players, Guyana won a free kick from a handled ball just outside the box.
Hercules in summing up the performance of his charges in game one did say that they were strong in this area and it was proved yet again when Reshawn Sandiford stepped up to take the shot and what a beauty it was.
The six-man wall that Barbados set as well as goalkeeper Omari Eastmond could not have stopped the well executed and directed shot from settling at the back of the nets when the dust was settled.
The goal restored the necessary energy and confidence that was needed for the home to rebound. The fans too were reenergized and started to urge their side on, applauding every raid on goal. The first half ended with the scores unchanged Barbados 2 Guyana 1, but the game was well and truly on. Each side made one change in the first half, Guyana opting to introduce substitute goalie Akel Clarke for Cornette (37th) who was less than convincing between the uprights after having a very good game in Linden.
The second period commenced like the first with the visitors taking the charge to the home team and did create a few opportunities but were not as lucky as the first half since they were denied.
National Under-20 Captain Colin Nelson, who now campaigns in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, was given the task of taking a penalty that was awarded to the Golden Jaguars in the 61st minute.
He made no mistake in drawing his side level, it was also in the 61st minute that USA based Anani Mohamed was introduced at the expense of Sheldon Holder who did not make much of an impact on proceedings.
Eight minutes after he came on, Mohamed handed Guyana the lead following some excellent work in midfield by another T&T based player, the hard working Vurlon Mills who took the ball at left midfield dribbled past 4 opposing players before timing the Bajans and slipped the ball through to Mohamed who placed himself in an excellent position.
He {Mohamed} made excellent progress in the Barbados half and with the visitors sensing that they were under threat and only two players apart from goalie Eastmond to beat, Eastmond took matters into his hands as he was forced to advance to Mohamed who blasted a powerful right foot shot past his man sending the crowd and his teammates into wild celebrations.
Mohamed too, celebrated by taking his shirt off which drew a yellow card from Referee Mark Young since his form of celebrations is not permitted by the Laws of the Game. The exchanges continued but it was the Golden Jaguars that looked more likely of the two countries to score but that was not to be.
Mohamed was unfortunately ejected from the game in the 3rd minute of added on time after drawing his second yellow card but by then the writing was already on the wall for the visitors. Seconds after his exit, the final whistle went – Guyana 3 Barbados 2. The local side made 7 substitutions while Barbados made 4.
The teams were met before the start of the game by the Honorable Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, GT&T CEO Yog Mahadeo Chief Minister of Montserrat Reuben Meade, GFF President Colin Klass and Barbados Football Association Senior Vice President Sherlock Yarde.