San Ignacio, February 17, 2008 - The Belize Defense Force and the defending champs FC Belize lead the RFG Cup competition as both clubs posted wins in Week 1 of the playoffs.
The BDF posted their first win of the playoffs as they toppled the BPFL leaders Hankook Verdes 2-zip at the Norman Broaster Stadium on Sunday. The BDF defense locked off the Verdes strikers from getting a goal until late evening, when Deon “Pussy” Flowers scored the winning goal in the 87th minute. National selection’s top-striker Deon Macauley made doubly sure of the win with a 2nd goal in the 90th minute of play to celebrate a 2-0 win at the final whistle. Defending champs FC Belize stopped Wagiya 1-zip at the MCC garden on Sunday with an early strike by Jerome “Jaro” James in the 22nd minute of play. Tyrone “T-bone” Muschamp and Cristobal Gilharry tried to make it 2-zip, repeatedly testing the Wagiya goalie William Johnson with shots on goal, Gilharry launching a shot that screamed over the crossbar, but at the half time break, it was still a 1-zip ball-game.
Wagiya came out strong in the 2nd half looking for the equalizer. Wagiya’s Edwin Fernandez tested the reflexes of FC Belize goalie Alden “AC” Augustine with a shot that just squeaked past the left upright and Jerome Archer might have tied the game if he could have just nudged it in, but Archer could not catch up to the ball. Maynard Nunez was also breaking up FC Belize plays and looking for an opening, but nought came of it, the long whistle sounded to a 1-zip FC Belize win.
This Sunday brings fireworks to the Barracks with the big showdown between the BDF and FC Belize, and Wagiya will try again for that first win when they host Hankook Verdes at the Carl Ramos Stadium.