Santos stun Pele; Victoria Kings overcome Monedderlust; NAU hammer Grove

Oct 25, 2010 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
The Fourth Edition of the NAMILCO Football Festival organised by the Fruta Conquerors FC got off to an exhilarating start on Saturday evening, the 70th birth Anniversary of the great King Pele.
The occasion was not so great for local club side Pele as they were knocked-out by Santos in the feature clash 2-1; Gerald Whittington a former Pele player sinking his old club by netting the first half brace for Santos.

Aubrey Gibson

Roberto Souza

The main supporting game between East Demerara’s Victoria Kings and East Berbice’ Monedderlust was a thriller with extra time needed to determine the winner. When the Referee’s whistle was sounded after 30 minutes of extra time, Victoria Kings it was who danced and celebrated as they booked their place in the quarterfinals with a 3-2 win, veteran Aubrey Gibson netting the winner 5 minutes to the end of the game, he ended with a brace.
The first game of the triple header, an elimination clash for a group-of-16 berth between Berbice side New Amsterdam United and Grove Hi Tec of East Bank, saw the former triumphing by a comfortable 3-0 margin, Adrian Adams hit the nets twice (20 & 25) with the other goal scored by Kelvin Joseph in the 54th minute.
The main match-up lived up to its billing as a ding dong battle since a number of the Pele players were now appearing on the Santos roster.
As expected, the game was played at a fast pace with neither side willing to ease up, but the inexperience of Pele’s custodian Mervin Goodman made the difference between two sides that have always provided exciting action for their fans and supporters.
Attacking down the right side of Pele’s goal, it did not take too long for Gerald Whittington to pierce his former club’s defence and expose the inexperience of Goodman.
Whittington from about 25 meters out threw over the ball into the box but it was well directed and sailed through the grasp of Goodman at the far post settling at the back of the nets; a disappointing effort from Goodman but the advantage given to Santos 8 minutes into the game.
Pele too, made a few enterprising runs at Santos and the advantage Santos enjoyed did not last for long as Pele’s main strike weapon, Mervin Joseph slipped the ball under Santos’ O’Neal Heywood (goalkeeper) two minutes later to diffuse their advantage.
Their was not too much separating the sides with both enjoying control back and forth with chances created few and far but it was always going to be an uphill task for Pele to keep off the roaming and dangerous Whittington.
Both sides displayed a high level of technical skills, with crisp and accurate passes especially in midfield. Thirty-five (35) minutes on, Whittington with a neat left foot stabber found Goodman again wanting. What would have been a regulation save for a normal goalkeeper saw Goodman diving over the ball, allowing it safe passage into the back of the nets as Santos regained the lead.
The second half produced more exciting play; Pele enjoying the better of the exchanges and chances but the only difference and disappointment for them was that they failed to bury any of the chances they created.

Gerald Whittington (left) being congratulated by teammates after netting the opening goal for Santos. (Franklin Wilson photo)

Santos, on the other hand was able to defend their one goal advantage until the end of the second half and have earned their place in the next round.
Monedderlust, while losing provided great entertainment and opposition for Victoria Kings, the game could have gone either way but it was the Kings who capitalized on their chances to advance.
The former Berbice division one champs, Monedderlust cantered into the lead in just the 2nd minute of the game with their Captain and main striker Alex Mc Donald scoring the first of two goals when he beat goalkeeper Andrew Williams.
Veteran baller Aubrey Gibson who was a thorn in the Monedderlust defence was booked in the 27th minute but his booking whipped him into goal scoring mode. One minute later he drilled in the equalizer for the Kings.
Both teams made their first substitutions three minutes (30 & 33) apart in the first half. With Brazilian Roberto Souza controlling play in midfield for the Kings, making direct and precise passes; a quality that is not often seen locally, Victoria Kings, once known as the knock-out artists of Guyana, clawed their way into the lead in the 50th minute, Souza scoring off a corner.
But 10 minutes later, Monedderlust drew level with Mc Donald getting his second of the match.
The remaining minutes of regulation time failed to produce a winner so an extra half hour was required based on the competition rules.
The West Berbice side missed two clear cut chances early on in the first period, Gladwin Johnson being the culprit. His lapses would come back to haunt the team as Gibson, with 5 minutes to complete the half hour rocking the nets with a well taken shot that goalkeeper Andrew Williams could not have saved.
So with the King and Santos through to the quarterfinals, group-of-16 play will continue on Wednesday at the same venue when two more teams will exit the competition. Buxton United face Sunburst Camptown in the curtain raiser from 18:00hrs with the main event bringing together the Guyana Defence Force and Bakewell Buxton Stars.
Meanwhile, the competition was officially kicked off by NAMILCO’s Operations Manager Peter Harsveld after he met the teams along with Finance Controller Atonaram Lakeram and Fruta Conquerors President, Marlan Cole.