Topp XX led by a Collie `Hitman’ Hercules double, showed a partisan Linden crowd why they were five-time champions with a convincing 4-0 victory over tournament debutants Monedderlust Football Club of West Berbice, Friday night in the feature game of the 18th Annual Kashif and Shanghai football tournament at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
In the opening game of the double header, Winners Connections with goals off the boots of Seon Brewley (45th) and Rene Gibbon (56th) inflicted a 2-1 defeat on another team making its debut, Rusal Football Club, whose consolation goal came from Sherlock Adams (89th).
They, along with Monedderlust, exited the competition.
Playing in soggy conditions due to heavy rainfall hours before the opening whistle blew, Topp XX had to pull out all the stops to gain the upper hand over opponents new to the competition.
Topp XX opened the scoring in the 37th minute after Hercules collected a pass from Kevin Beaton and made his way to the left hand side of the field after dribbling his marker.
He managed to control the ball with his trademark fancy footwork, which had the crowd shouting praises, before sending a shot to goal.
Goal-keeper Alwin Mc Donald did not hold cleanly and the ball fell at the feet of a waiting Marlon Benjamin who made no mistake with the put back to spark off celebrations.
Hercules was a thorn in the side of the Berbice team and was brought down by guest player Jodyn Bentick at the top of the box who was then evicted for unsportsmanlike conduct just on the stroke of half time.
Shortly after resumption, Benjamin was brought down in the box as he weaved his way in. A penalty kick was awarded, the third of the tournament, and Shevone Seaforth made no mistake.
This goal apparently knocked the wind out of Monedderlust’s sails as their defence weakened allowing Hercules to get his double.
He scored his first after receiving a gem of a pass from Benjamin who made his move expecting a return pass from the dapper striker.
Instead, Hercules weaved his way to the left of the box as he had previously done and beat the advancing Mc Donald with a well-placed left foot shot to the far post to make it 3-0.
Hercules then put the final nail in Moneddurlust’s coffin courtesy of another gem of a pass from Kayode Mc Kinnon who watched smilingly as the ‘Hitman’ wormed his way in with his majestic footwork and slotted the ball home into an open goal.
In the opening game, debutants Rusal, looked set to pull off an upset but their bark was more dangerous than their bite. Winners Connect-ions scored first as the hard-working Brewley sent a low shot to the goal area which goalkeeper Devon Jordan failed to grasp to see his team take the lead at the half.
Winners Connection increased their lead in the 56th minute courtesy of a goal off the boot of the hard working Rene Gibbons who fired his shot from point blank range after receiving the ball from Brewley in the box to make it 2-0.
Rusal still continued to surge on despite this and they had the opportunity to reduce the lead when they were awarded a penalty but Travis Watterton watched helplessly as Carew pulled off another brilliant save to his left to the joy of his teammates and supporters alike.
Former national under-17 captain and Rusal guest player, Jerome Richardson was then evicted from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct when he punched the ball into the back of the net in the 71st minute.
Shortly after his eviction, Stellon David struck the post with a well placed shot that had Carew beaten all over.
Rusal’s consolation goal came in the 89th minute when their right back Sherlock Adams caught Carew off his line and fired a long range shot to the back of the net to make it 2-1.
The competition will continue this afternoon with the action shifting to the Georgetown Football Club ground.
In the first game, Camptown Football Club will take on Net Rockers Football Club from 6pm with the feature game being a Conquerors Football Club/B V Triumph United clash from 8pm.
