GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday December 24, 2013
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‘Multi’ edge New Silvercity in dramatic penalty shoot-out … MHS through to quarter-finals By Rawle Toney HEARTS were broken and tears were shed last Sunday but in the end after two enthralling matches at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Christianburg/Wismar Secondary and Mackenzie High School advanced to the quarter-finals of the Kashif and Shanghai/Chico Elite Next Generation Secondary School football tournament. The heavy downpour of rain could not keep scores of football fans from converging on Linden’s premier sporting facility to show support to the next generation of football stars and they were not disappointed since the teams turned in some fascinating performances. Two-time Digicel schools champions Christianburg/ Wismar, more popularly known as Multi, defeated New Silvercity Secondary 4-3 on penalty kicks after finishing their regular time fixture goalless, while Mackenzie High School (MHS) demolished the visiting Leonora Secondary 4-0 in the opening game of the
The victorious Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School team pose following their emphatic win over New Silvercity Secondary last Sunday. (Photo by Rawle Toney) from the students and even supporting parents of the New double-header. Silvercity Secondary. With Major League Soccer It was one of the most antic(MLS) Super-Star Dwayne ipated clashes of the tournament De Rosario in attendance, the - a Wismar Derby - since New players all turned in their best Silvercity had won the hearts of performance which led to the the Lindeners with their mature already rained-soaked venue befootball tactics, but Christianing ‘flooded’ with tears, mainly
De Rosario sponsors ‘golden shoes’ for K&S/Chico MVP MAJOR League Soccer (MLS) player Dwayne De Rosario became the latest contributor to the 24th Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament which has taken on, for the first time, a secondary schools format, by presenting the organisers with a pair of golden Puma cleats which is to be awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. De Rosario made the presentation before a massive crowd at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground last Sunday and received thunderous applause for his gesture. Addressing the audience after making the presentation, De Rosario said that he’s over-joyed in making his maiden voyage to Guyana and most importantly, getting a chance to be part of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament. “I want to present these football cleats to the MVP, whoever that lucky player is and I hope that it would be cherished as well. I love to give back to football, especially through the youths and I’m glad Kashif and Shanghai could make my being here in Guyana, a success.” He added that since it was his first time in Guyana, he wanted to make a lasting impression on the youths and lauded the organisers for giving the youths a major platform to showcase their talent. “I’m returning to my roots for the first time and I’m very happy about it, but what I’m happier about is the fact that these young players can have a very big stage to showcase their talents on. “It’s important to not only invest, in their future but also give them that stage where everyone would see them, follow them, and help turn them into stars. Every player loves to be seen and I’m glad people are coming out in their numbers to support them as well,” the former MLS MVP noted.
Yes, guys, that is how it is done. MLS Super Star Dwayne De Rosario (in background with grey T-shirt), supervises a warm-up exercise undertaken by the attendees of his two-hour long clinic at the MSC ground last Sunday.
burg/Wismar Secondary certainly has the best secondary school football-playing team in Guyana. By virtue of winning backto-back Digicel School football titles while featuring in all three finals in the foremost schools football tournaments they have positioned themselves as the ‘team to beat’ at this level. Rain had threatened to keep the crowd away, but parents, teachers and students refused to let the inclement weather hinder them from supporting their respective schools and in the ‘Wismar Derby’ it was hard for an outsider to really choose a side to win since the game, especially in the first half was evenly balanced. outsider While New Silvercity cre-
ated more chances, that did not bother the Christianburg-based ‘Multi’, but the second stanza told an entirely different story. New Silvercity forced the National school champions to fall deep into their defence and capitalised on a free kick in the 85th minute that was scored in a goal-mouth scramble, only to see the assistant referee’s flag airborne for an infringement, with one of the players being caught in the off-side position. The huge crowd in attendance, most of them supporting ‘Multi’, cheered at the result, while the New Silvercity supporters voiced their displeasure with the call. In the end it came down to penalty kicks and after scoring
his side’s last kick, Multi’s custodian effected a save from the opposing team’s kicker, to spark off celebrations among his teammates and their band of supporters off the field, as they head into a quarterfinal clash with the winner of the contest between Bladen Hall Multilateral and Ann’s Grove Secondary. Meanwhile in the opening game, it was as easy as a Sunday afternoon walk for MHS who were led by goals from Akeem Higgins (5th), Qualon Andrews (75th, Randy Hohenkirk (79th) and Teniel Charles (83rd) in a one-sided clash against Leonora. They go on to face St George’s on Friday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.
K&S/CHICO ELITE NEXT GENERATION C’SHIPS
De Rosario hosts clinic in Linden KIDS FROM Linden last Sunday benefited from a coaching clinic held by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation in collaboration with Canadian international football star Dwayne De Rosario at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground from 11:00hrs to 13:00hrs. De Rosario, who has been an ambassador for youth soccer throughout his career which started in his home city of Toronto, attributes most of his success, both professionally and personally, to the experiences he enjoyed while playing soccer as a youth. Building, inspiring and educating are tenets that have always characterised the De Rosario household and with this in mind, the Dero United Programme was formed in 2007
to serve as a template to foster these values, and De Rosario has always been a active supporter of organisations that share his beliefs. The clinic is so structured that at the end of it all the kids will leave with the additional tips and tricks for their onfield arsenal. Such topics like, ‘Healthy Eating and Living Insight’ and an ‘Understanding of the Power of Community’ built both on and off the field, along with a great appetite for soccer were taught to the over 30 attendees. “Our goal is to develop tomorrow’s MVPs in the same manner as Mr De Rosario who is of Guyanese parentage and who chose to reach out in support to our programmes and is committed to working with the
K&S Organisation in expanding the DERO United programme here as he will try to frequent the home land of his parents,” the K&S Organisation stated in a press release. De Rosario who visited with his older brother and father departed Guyana yesterday. The K&S Organisation gives a big thank you to the DERO team and promises to make this collaboration the huge success it is destined to become. Meanwhile, the tournament continues with a double-header at the Number 5 ground in West Coast, Berbice, on Christmas Day, with Ash Education taking on President’s College at 16:00hrs, followed by the feature clash at 18:00hrs between Bladen Hall Secondary and Ann’s Grove.
MLS Super Star Dwayne De Rosario (right) presents Kashif Muhammad with the pair of golden Puma cleats for the tournament’s MVP