Western Tigers stormed into the semi-final round in the 5th Annual GFA/Banks Beer Knockout Championship, dismantling former holder Sunburst Camptown 4-1 on Saturday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.
Randolph Wagner recorded a hat-trick in the win in the 30th, 62nd and 90th+1 minute respectively while Darren Benjamin netted in the 12th minute. On target in the loss was Jahaal Greaves in the 73rd minute.
Due to the victory, the West Ruimveldt giant will now oppose Berbice heavyweight New Amsterdam United in the semi-final round at the same venue on Tuesday.
The matchup begun in the best possible manner for Western Tigers as Benjamin scored, skipping past his marker within the left side of the box before lashing his effort into the back of the net.
Wagner then took over the goal-scoring responsibility, netting 15 minutes before the end of the period with a diving header from within the left of the penalty box past the keeper, following a cross from Rensford Coleridge
With the score remaining the same before the commencement of the halftime interval, the West Ruimveldt unit made it 3-0 17 minutes into the second stanza as Wagner sealed his double.
Racing onto a right sided through pass from Dwayne Ali following a quick counter attack from a corner kick, Wagner upon entering the left side of the box, lashed his effort into the centre of the net with the outside of his boot.
On the back-foot for most of the encounter, Greaves pulled one back for Sunburst Camptown in a fortuitous manner as his right footed shot from outside the box, took a deflection off a defender, wrong-footing the keeper and settling into the lower right corner of the net.
However that goal only brought a brief respite for the Campbellville unit as Wagner sealed his hat-trick in the final minute of the fixture, slotting home into the lower left corner from the centre of the box.
Meanwhile Riddim Squad dismantled Beacons by a 5-0 score line to seal their berth in the semi-final round. Sheldon Hope recorded a double in the 22nd and 75th minutes while Teon Jones, Kester Joseph and Sceyon Hope scored in the 30th, 47th and 77th minutes respectively.
With the win, Riddim Squad will now oppose Santos FC in the semi-final round. Winner of the tourney will receive two million dollars and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth place finishers will pocket one million, $500,000 and $250,000 respectively along with the corresponding accolade.
