Debutants Karaburi overcame a 0-1 deficit to defeat Waramuri 2-1 margin when the Region One zone in the annual Digicel Schools Football Championships commenced yesterday.
While it was not a classic matchup, the atmosphere, compliments of the mammoth crowd, masked the subtle deficiencies of both teams.
Denzil Williams handed Waramuri the lead in the 23rd minute, stabbing his effort past the advancing goalkeeper into the left upright and into the back of the net.
The aforesaid occurred after Devon DeCosta spurned a great chance to give Karaburi the lead two minutes earlier, racing away to be in one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, only to fire his effort wide of the top left corner.
Karaburi eventually recorded the equaliser in the 45th minute with Dave Booker etching his name on the scorer’s sheet. A hopeful cross from the right side led to the conversion, as Booker from inside the left of the box, directed his effort over the goalkeeper and into the centre of the net.
Karaburi then took the lead in the 53rd minute as a Roddy John strike from the right side of the box, was tipped into the back of the net by the goalkeeper.
Waramuri almost equalised in the 65th minute with Williams striking the left upright from inside the right of the area.
Meanwhile, Kamwatta downed Kwebana 3-0 in the earlier fixture. Dexter Jose opened the scoring in the 24th minute after lobbed the ball from the centre of the box over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Wesley Domingo made it 2-0 in the 46th minute, slotting home from inside the box, after collecting a cross from the right side. The result was sealed 10 minutes later as Jose sealed his brace with a placed shot from top of the box, into the right hand corner.
The tournament resumes today at various venues. The championship which is scheduled to conclude on July 31st, will feature more than 120 schools from each of the 10 administrative regions, competing in an elimination format.
Chase Academy is the defending champion, with Christianburg/Wismar the most successful school with four consecutive titles (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015) in six successive final appearances.
The other winner of the tourney was GTI in the inaugural edition (2011). Victor of the event will receive $1,000,000 towards a school project and a trophy.
The second, third and fourth place finishers will collect $700,000, $400,000 and $350,000 towards a school initiative and the respective accolade.
