In a match that promised much but delivered little, Western Tigers roared past arch-rival Santos 3-0 to clinch the Stag-Nations Cup Saturday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda.
Although the large crowd that descended on the venue displayed contrasting emotions before and after the final whistle, from a neutral perspective, the contest was anti-climactic and effectively over at the end of the first half.
Anthony Sancho and Randolph Wagner scored in the 25th and 31st minute respectively to put the game beyond reach before Shane Morris sealed the lopsided result with a 78th minute effort. The West Ruimveldt unit deservedly walked away with $2,000,000 and the championship trophy.
For Santos, the capable offence which carved out eight goals, was absent without leave (AWOL), with their team’s only noteworthy highlights coming in the form of two red cards for Job Caesar and Vassel Cantzelaar in the 64th and 81st minute respectively.
Santos was duly forced to settle for the runner-up package of $1,000,000 and a trophy. From the onset, the Tigers displayed a serenity, a trait garnered through experience while the youthful Santos unit seemed rattled by the occasion.
Sancho broke the deadlock in sublime fashion, unleashing a left foot volley into the right corner, after a headed clearance following a right cross fell into his path inside the left of the box.
Wagner followed six minutes onward with his fifth goal of the competition, latching onto a right side cross from Joel Tyrell inside the centre of the box, before smashing his effort through the legs of the custodian, sending his team into the halftime interval in total control.
As the teams emerged for the second half proceedings, Santos began to accumulate more possession, with Western Tigers surprisingly showing early signs of fatigue.
However, any hopes of a comeback was scuttled through a moment of madness when Caesar was sent off for violent conduct after elbowing Jamal Pedro on the left side of the field.
Morris then applied the finishing touch aided by the numerical advantage, blasting into the roof of the net from inside the right of the box, after receiving a left side pass from former Santos forward Dwayne McLennon.
It went from bad to worse as another moment of indiscipline smeared the loss for Santos, with Cantzelaar given his marching orders after picking up his yellow card for a wild challenge from behind on McLennon.
Meanwhile, the ever improving Guyana Police Force (GPF) riddled Riddim Squad 2-1. Quincy Holder, the tournament’s eventual top scorer with six conversions, fired in the two goals in the 28th and 35th minute while Rawl Ramsay netted his team’s goal in the 42nd minute. Due to the win, the lawmen walked away with $500,000 and the third place trophy. On the other hand, the loser pocketed $300,000 and the corresponding accolade.
