Redemption for Agricola, winning start for Friendship in East Bank Inter-Village football
Still not out of the woods, Agricola made a huge statement that they are not giving up when they stormed back from their opening game defeat to Kuru Kururu with a big win over a star-studded Mocha, 3-1, when the battle for quarter-final berths continued in the inaugural Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/East Bank Inter-Village Football Tournament on Sunday night at the Eccles EE Ground.
Sunday’s opening game, a group D contest, saw Friendship contesting their first match, halting the winning streak of Kaneville which had downed Timehri in their first match a week before, beating them 3-2.
Agricola came into the contest with Mocha knowing that defeat would have sent them packing from the tournament and from the first whistle, looked a determined unit against a side that came into the contest as a favourite to win the tournament.
Despite this billing, Agricola were not intimidated and 10 minutes into the match, found the back of the nets through a Shamar Sampson strike which gave the Agricola lads the confidence needed to believe in themselves.
One could have felt a heavy pressure easing off the team but there was still lots of work to be done. Their play saw a fluidity that was missing against Kuru Kururu. The half ended with the slim 1-0 advantage for Agricola which doubled in the 40th minute with a goal off the boot of Demanie Cort.
The goal added even more flair to Agricola’s play, even as Mocha still could not find a consistent rhythm. Three minutes after Cort’s goal, Agricola increased the tally to three when Jamal Fiffe added his name to the scoresheet, effectively stifling any inkling of a comeback by Mocha.
Even Kelvin Gordon’s 60th minute strike for Mocha was not enough to jolt the progression of Agricola as there was no denying them, full points. They now sit just behind Kuru Kururu on three points but have exhausted their full quota of two matches.
Mocha will have to defeat Kuru Kururu heavily when they tangle to displace Agricola, while Kuru Kururu will aim to end with a win to stay atop Group A.
Friendship took the early lead against Kaneville when Jomlin Scott netted the first of his double in the eighth minute. But that advantage was cancelled out in the 17th minute when Kaneville’s Tyequan Robinson levelled the score.
Just before the half time whistle, Friendship restored the advantage with Scott’s second goal in the 34th minute. Three minutes into the second half, the advantage was doubled, compliments of Michael Correia’s goal.
Kaneville tucked in another in the 65th minute off the boot of Hermon Gill but couldn’t find an equaliser as time ran out.
The win for Friendship has catapulted them to the top of Group D with a game in hand against the point-less Timehri.
It’s all to play for as the only two villages that have qualified for the quarter-finals are Group C’s Grove and Upper Soesdyke. The final group match between the two will decide who will end as group winner.
The tournament will take a break for the Easter holidays and restart with the final four group matches.
Upcoming games
- Swan vs Lower Soesdyke
- Mocha vs Kuru Kururu
- Friendship vs Timehri
- Grove vs Upper Soesdyke
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