Monday February 04, 2019
PAGE 29
Kaieteur News
GFF/Pele Alumni/Frank Watson Memorial National 2017/2018 Playoffs – Cluster 2
Eagles FC get past Timehri Panthers and Milerock to earn finals place
Eagles FC of Stewartville. By Franklin Wilson West Demerara Football Association (WDFA), GFF/ Pele Alumni/Frank Watson Memorial 2017/2018 winners Eagles FC, the last team to qualify for the National Playoffs, have advanced to the Finals following after ending with a clean sheet when Cluster 2 of the Playoffs was contested yesterday at the GFF National Training Center, Providence, East Bank Demerara. Coming up against East Bank FA champs Timehri
Panthers and Upper Demerara’s Milerock, Eagles soared to wins over both opponents via a 2-1margin in the first instance and 3-2 via sudden death penalty kicks after the match ended 2-2 in regulation time. Yesterday’s final match saw Timehri Panthers needling Milerock to end with a consolation with; missing a plethora of opportunities especially against Eagles and paying the price for their lack capitalizing on chances created.
But it was to be the Eagles’ day to fly high and that they did with glee, burying their chances when they came along. Telbert Baptiste was the star of the day for the West Demerara side as he scored three of the four goals they got in regulation time. Despite missing the second kick from the penalty mark in the clash against Milerock, Baptiste’s earlier efforts were enough to propel the team, to a memorable win and their highest
achievement to date as a club. Eagles ran away 2-0 leaders against Milerock with Baptiste netting both in the 11th and 30th minutes respectively to end the first half (35 minutes) comfortably ahead. But their thoughts of celebrating after regulation time was not to be as Milerock fired in like manner when Travis James in the 55th and George Stephen in the 60th minutes evened things up. Based on the competition
Dar and Amin lead Pakistan to consolation win KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – A blistering halfcentury from Nida Dar and a three-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Anam Amin ensured that Pakistan avoided a whitewash by winning the third and final Twenty20 International against the West Indies at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium here yesterday. Dar’s knock of 53 from 40 balls helped propel the home side to their highest total of the three-match series, finishing on 150 for six from their 20 overs. Amin then claimed three scalps, including that of Windies’ danger batter Deandra Dottin, to restrict the visitors to 138 for eight in their allotted 20 overs. The West Indies entered the match already assured of clinching the series after
winning the first two matches. Karishma Ramharack’s double strike had initially put Pakistan on the backfoot. She accounted for the wickets of opener Umaima Sohail (28) and Iram Javed for seven to reduce them to 80 for four in the 13th over. But a 67-run partnership between Dar and Aliyah Riaz in seven overs wrestled the initiative away from the West Indies. While Riaz was more reserved, Dar was aggressive, smashing five boundaries and two sixes. By the time Dar was eventually dismissed with three balls left in the innings, Pakistan was only three runs short of the 150-mark. Unlike the previous matches, West Indies’ batters never fired, with only Deandra Dottin and Natasha McClean
putting up any form of resistance. Their run chase got off to a horrible start with Kycia Knight being stumped off the second ball of the innings bowled by Amin, without a run on the board. Shemaine Campbelle didn’t last too long either, as she was bowled by Sana Mir for nine, as the Windies stumbled to 24 for two. Dottin breathed some air back into the chase with a scintillating 46 from 29 balls. Her knock contained three boundaries and four sixes. However, once Amin got
rid of Dottin to make it 68 for three, the rest of the batters faltered, as they lost their final four wickets for 21 runs. Amin was the pick of Pakistan’s bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 34, while Sana Mir supported with 2 for 21. Scores: PAKISTAN 150 for six off 20 overs (Nida Dar 53, Umaima Sohail 28, Aliya Riaz 24 not out; Karishma Ramharack 2-20). WEST INDIES 138 for eight off 20 overs (Deandra Dottin 46, Natasha McClean 26; Anam Amin 3-34, Sana Mir 2-21).
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rules, kicks from the penalty mark would be employed once matches end tied at the end of regulation time in order to determine the winner. At the end of the first five kicks each, the scores was tied 2-2 which meant that sudden kicks was necessary. Keshaun Smith nailed his shot for Eagles, but Milerock’s Ronaldo Peters sent his shot over the cross bar to spark wild celebrations by the Eagles Players as it sealed their passage to the National Finals on February 16th next at the same venue. They have now joined Santos FC which won Cluster 1 on Saturday and Tabatinga FC of the Rupununi FA. Eagles had earlier yesterday, in the first match of the cluster against Timehri Panthers, won 2-1 on account of goals from Baptiste in the 11th and Jomaley Kellman in the 20th minutes. Tyrone Burnette pulled one back for Timehri in the 54th minute. The Panthers’ push in the final minutes of the match for an equalizer did not make the cut. However, the East Bank champions did salvage some pride when they defeated Milerock in the final match of the day by the lone goal of that encounter which was scored by Iasmael Palsuram in the first half which was all that was needed to seal the win. The GFF/ Pele Alumni/ Frank Watson Memorial 2017/ 2018 National Playoffs train is now destined for the Cinderella County this
Iasmael Palsuram Saturday when Cluster 3 would be decided when home team Dartmouth Determinators will seek to defend their turf against Region #1’s Atkinson Brothers and Bartica FA’s Rivers View. All the action will unfold at the Anna Regina Community Center Ground from 10:30hrs on Saturday.