Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
GFF/KFC U20 Independence KO Cup –EBFA LegSoesdyke Falcons, Grove Hi Tech and Diamond Upsetters advance
Led by their Captain, Tyrone Khan who netted a second half double, Soesdyke Falcons blanked Mocha Champs 3-0 to advance to round two of the GFF/KFC U20 Independence Cup, East Bank Football Association leg which continued at the GFF Training Facility yesterday afternoon with three matches.
Soesdyke Falcons Captain Tyrone Khan (2nd left) scores his second goal against Mocha Champs yesterday.
Also booking their places in the next round, which will start on Saturday, were Grove Hi Tech which got past Kuru Kururu Warriors 3-1 and Diamond Upsetters who squeezed past Friendship All Stars on kicks from the penalty mark 4-3 following an exciting 2-2 scoreline in regulation time.
Playing the feature match of the day, Soesdyke Falcons found that Mocha Champs were not going to be pushovers and as a matter of fact all the teams are finding out that you have to come good on the day in order to move on in this knock-out tournament, the first for the association this year.
It was not until the penultimate minute before the half time whistle that Soesdyke were able to break the deadlock thanks to Kevin Sobers. It was welcome relief for the Soesdyke boys while the pressure was now on Mocha
Diamond Upsetters and Friendship All Stars in action yesterday at the GFF Training Facility, Providence.
Champs.
Second half play saw both teams going after each other but it were Soesdyke who again would score. Sixty-four minutes into the match, Captain Tyrone Khan found the back of the nets again for his side from the penalty mark and 80 minutes on; he achieved his second to seal the game and his side’s place in the next round of the competition.
Mocha Champs had the opportunity to halve the deficit when it was 2-0 but failed to do as they missed a penalty that was awarded to them.
Grove Hi Tech wasted little time in asserting their dominance over Kuru Kururu Warriors; Paul Fields netting the fastest goal of the tournament so far when he
Paul Fields (right), Threvon Pluck and Alwyne Haynes – Grove Hi Tech
rocked the nets in just the 2nd minute.
The early goal caught the Warriors by surprise but they held their own. On 22 minute however, Grove was awarded a penalty and central defender, Threvon Pluck was given the opportunity to take the kick, he buried his shot clinically to put his team 2-0 up.
The advantage was further increased in the 37th minute compliments of an Alwyne Haynes goal. Allowing the Hi Tech boys to run away with so many goals so early would have always proven a humongous task for the Warriors to pull back; and despite trying they were unable to.
The second half produced a determined effort from the Linden Soesdyke Highway based Warriors in which they were able to shut out their opponents in the final third and score a goal of their own but the winners had already done the hard work in the opening 45 minutes.
Anthony Roberts scored for Kuru Kururu in the 53rd minute, but that was the closest they were going to come to Grove’s tally; the match ending 3-1 in favour of Grove Hi Tech.
The day’s opening clash produced exciting end to end exchanges between Diamond Upsetters and Friendship All Stars with the former running away 2-0 leaders with back to back goals in the 28th and 29th minutes through efforts from Jaleel Thomas and Joshua Herbert.
At that point it seemed an uphill task for Friendship but they kept their focus and responded in like manner, their first coming in the 37th minute off the boot of Jomal Scott. The equalizer was scored by Shamaar Montooth in the 46th minute.
Neither team were able to breach each other’s defence thereafter which meant that kicks from the penalty mark was going to be used to determine the winner as per the tournament rules. At the end of the 10 kicks, five each, Diamond Upsetters nailed four (4) of their shots as compared to Friendship’s three (3).
More GFF/KFC U20 Independence Cup play is set for Saturday at the same venue.
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