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St. Ignatius battle back to hold Annai to a stalemate in Region 9 playoff
Kaieteur Sports – Preparation for the Petra-KFC International Goodwill Under-18 Secondary Schools Football Series kicked into high gear on Saturday as Region Nine powerhouses St Ignatius Secondary and Annai Secondary clashed in the first leg of their home-and-away playoff. The encounter, held at the St Ignatius Village Sports Facility, delivered all the intensity expected and more, as the sides battled to an electrifying 2–2 draw.
Michael Wilson
Annai Secondary struck first in the 13th minute when Micheal Wilson unleashed a brilliant effort to silence the home fans, giving his side an early advantage. Despite dominating possession for much of the first half, St Ignatius struggled to convert their chances, heading into halftime trailing 1–0.
Things worsened for the home side shortly after the restart, as a defensive miscue resulted in an own goal that pushed Annai ahead 2–0. But the setback lit a fire under St Ignatius, who responded with renewed urgency and determination.
Their fightback began roughly 10 minutes later, cutting the deficit in half and shifting the momentum sharply. Annai’s back line, so composed in the first half, appeared increasingly vulnerable as St Ignatius pressed with pace and purpose.
Ishmael Gaskin and Stephon Francisco keep St. Ignatius alive.
The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Ishmael Gaskin hammered home a powerful close-range strike to level the scores at 2–2. And the home supporters erupted again in the 67th minute when Stephon Francisco netted the equalizer, sealing the comeback and keeping St Ignatius firmly in the hunt for KFC qualification.
With everything now to play for, both sides turn their attention to the decisive second leg on November 29 at the Annai Community Centre. Annai may hold the slight advantage of home turf, but with goal difference potentially coming into play, the final outcome remains anyone’s guess.
One thing, however, is certain: Saturday’s showdown will decide who earns the right to represent Guyana in the highly anticipated international Secondary Schools tournament and who will be left watching from the stands.
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