Despite having the numerical advantage for most of the match, Fruta Conquerors laboured to a 2-2 draw with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League continued on Tuesday at the Tucville Community Centre ground.
Kwame LaFleur and Trevon Lythcott netted for the home side in the 23rd and 61st minutes respectively while Eusi Phillips recorded two conversions from the penalty spot for the army in the 34th and 60th minutes.
Conquerors now have seven points the same amount as league leaders Pele who occupy the top spot due to their superior goal-difference. The GDF are in fifth position with four points.
The fixture started brightly for Fruta Conquerors in front of a large gathering as Delwyn Fraser was given his marching orders in the eighth minute for elbowing midfielder Dwayne Lindy to the face.
Rafael Edwards almost gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute but his powerfully headed attempt from within the box, crashed into the crossbar.
The home side eventually capitalized on their numerical superiority as centre forward LaFleur netted four minutes later.
The conversion originated from a well-worked set play as a quickly taken pass from a free kick in the centre of the field, found the onrushing Alleyne, who lobbed a left sided cross into the path of LaFleur who placed his attempt into the left had corner from within the centre of the box.
With the lead in their possession and a statistical advantage, the home side decided simply to pass the ball in their own half instead of pressing for the second goal.
This eventually led to the army settling into the contest and grabbing the equaliser under contentious circumstances as they were awarded a penalty kick after the official deemed that the custodian pushed forward Delroy Fraser in his back in his attempt to receive the ball.
Stepping up to the mark was Phillips who clinically placed his right footed effort into the left side of the net.
The matchup then took a further twist in the second period as centre half Rafael Edwards was sent off in the 60th minute for handling the ball within the centre of the box while on the ground, attempting to deny Delroy Fraser the chance of scoring following a cross into the area.
Tasked with the responsibility of the resulting penalty kick, Phillips gave his side the lead under fortuitous circumstances as his right footed shot bounced over the hands of the diving custodian and into the lower right corner.
However, the army’s lead was short-lived as Fruta Conquerors fired back immediately in sublime manner with Lythcott netting a contender for goal of the tourney.
The goal was a perfectly worked move as a diagonal lobbed pass from Jermin Junior released Alleyne down the left flank, only for the winger to deliver a perfectly placed cross into the path of the onrushing Lythcott within the right side of the box. Lythcott duly buried his powerful header into the left side of the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Anthony ‘Sugar’ Abrams had a wonderful chance in the 80th minute to push the home side back into the lead as a lobbed a through ball over the defensive line, found the wideman with only the goalkeeper in his path within the centre of the box, only for his control to let him down and allow the ‘keeper to thwart the danger. Similarly, Delroy Fraser was denied in identical fashion seven minutes later as the opposing ‘keeper, upon advancing off his goal-line, slid on the ground to negate the forward after he had skipped past his marker.
Jeffrey Perreira almost stole the win for GDF in the 90th+1 minute as his right footed attempt from within the centre of the box following a right sided corner-kick, bounced wide of the right hand corner.
In the opening contest, Pele dismissed Buxton United by a 3-1 score line. The action is set to continue tomorrow at the GDF ground with a doubleheader. In the opening fixture at 18:00hrs, Pele will oppose Slingerz FC while GDF will tackle Georgetown Football Club (GFC) at 20:00hrs.
Winner of the round will pocket $4,000,000 while the second, third and fourth place teams will collect $2,000,000, $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively. Similarly, the point’s leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
