The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Pele FC recorded 3-1 group victories over Black Pearl and Flamingo FC when the Georgetown Football Association (GFA)/Banks Beer Cup continued at the Camp Ayanganna ground on Wednesday.
In the feature contest of the night Pele took the opening lead as Omallo Williams netted in the 23rd minute, lashing his effort into the left hand corner from within the left side of the box, following a one-on-one situation with the opposing custodian.
Sheldon Gorrick levelled the scores with the final kick of the opening 45-minute period, curling a sublime 22-yard left-footed free kick from the centre of the field, into the top right-hand corner of the goal.
However, Jumane Somerset pushed Pele back into the lead in the 68th minute placing his effort into the right side of the net from the middle of the box, after latching onto a lobbed pass from a free kick in the centre of the field.
Pele then suffered an untimely setback 12 minutes later as Calvin Shepherd was shown a straight red card for verbally abusing the officiating linesman.
Despite the numerical handicap, Pele would net once more in the 83rd minute to seal the win as Godfrey Powers finished down the centre of the goal, after latching onto another lobbed pass within the centre of the penalty box.
Meanwhile in the opening affair, Tyson Carmichael gave the home side the initial lead in the 42nd minute, cutting into the area from the left side of the field before finishing his effort to the lower left-hand corner.
Nonetheless, it would only take Black Pearl 11 minutes to find the equalizer as Mark Correga etched his name on the scorer’s sheet, slotting his effort to the back of the net from the centre of the area, after receiving a perfectly placed right-sided cross.
GDF would then retake the lead in the 76th minute compliments of a powerfully struck Nigel Braithwaite strike to the right side of the goal, after pouncing on a rebounded effort outside the left half of the 18-yard area.
Clifford Garraway then completed the win in the 90th+2 minute, placing his first time effort into the lower left-hand corner after collecting a flat Jeffrey Perreira right-sided cross.
Action in the group stage is slated to continue today at the same venue with a doubleheader. In the feature contest, Alpha United will face off with Northern Rangers from 8.30pm while Black Water and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will lock horns from 6.30pm.
