West Demerara’s Den Amstel FC downed Santos 1-0 when the second annual Petra Organization/Limacol Football Championship continued on Monday.
Andre Hector separated the two teams with a 79th minute conversion at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.
Den Amstel strengthens their grip atop group-C which they lead with six points while Santos, who remains on one point, dropped to third place.
The Georgetown team started the contest in the ascendency and should have taken the lead in the 12th minute but Devon Forde lobbed the ball over the crossbar after racing onto a through pass.
Ryan October was next to threaten the Den Amstel goal in the 27th minute, volleying just wide of the lower left hand corner after collecting a Orlando Ricketts cross unchallenged inside the left of the box.
Santos continued to create opportunities with Dominique Bobb forcing a brilliant save from custodian Ryan Hunte in the 39th minute, Hunte, tipping a curling left foot free-kick from just outside the right of the box over the bar.
It then became a game of two halves.
Gideon Payne rifled a right foot shot just over the crossbar in the 52nd minute much to the relief of the Santos goalkeeper while Job Caesar nearly broke the deadlock in the 64th minute blasting a right foot from inside the right of box, which was parried by the diving Hunte to his left.
Gavin Graham then wasted a perfect chance to give Den Amstel the lead in the 70th minute, failing to latch onto a perfectly placed right side cross from Delon Lanferman inside the left of the box.
The West Demerara team, however, would not be denied and duly Hector scored, stabbing the ball into the lower left corner after a poor left side cross from a corner-kick inexplicably evaded the several defenders and fell into the forward’s path.
Payne almost doubled Den Amstel’s lead in the 86th minute thumping a right foot strike from inside the box which was deflected by the goalkeeper at full-stretch.
Meanwhile, Uitvlugt maintained the perfect record for the West Demerara teams on the night dismissing New Amsterdam (NA) United 3-1.
Jamal Harvey bagged a double in the win inclusive of the fastest goal to date in the history of the tournament.
Harvey found the back of the net in the first and 73rd minute while Trayon Bobb netted in the 15th minute. On target in the loss was Jamal Butts in the fifth minute.
With the win, Uitvlugt now has four points and occupy the second position in group-B. NA United remains in the cellar position on zero point.
The event continues today at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda. In the opening fixture at 18:30hrs, Grove Hi-Tech battles Northern Rangers while Western Tigers engages Uitvlugt Warriors from 20:30hrs.
