Alberto Vasquez challenges Trevor Lennon
Belmopan, April 6, 2013
Defending champions Belmopan Bandits have virtually assured their berth in the upcoming UNCAF Champion of Champions competition as they have topped the Premier League of Belize rankings with 26 points from 8 wins and 2 draws, enjoying sweet revenge 2-1 against the Belize Defence Force, the only team to have defeated them so far this season, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium on Saturday night.
Ryan Simpson squandered the chance to give the BDF a 1-0 in the opening minutes of the ball game when he intercepted a pass from the Bandits’ defense. Denmark Casey Jr. made no such mistake when he picked up a forward pass from Deon McCauley. Casey’s right-away right foot shot at close range beat BDF goalie Frank Lopez to give the Bandits a 1-zip lead in the 30th minute.
The BDF got another break to equalize when the Bandits’ defender Jacinto Bermudez goofed into giving up a penalty by taking down Ryan Simpson inside the 18-yard box, but Vallan Symns’ shot hit the crossbar when he tried to convert. Byron Usher also tried but his rocket of a shot was just over the crossbar.
BDF’s Harrison Tasher finally delivered the equalizer when his free kick deflected off a defender beat Bandits’ goalie Woodrow West in the 78th minute.
Deon McCauley now leads the PLB with 8 goals after he killed a pass from Ian Gaynair on his chest, and with his trademark pivot, put it into the net with a rebound off the far upright in the 85th minute for the 2-1 win.
Other matches:
Bandits vs. Police – 4-0
Goals by James (1), Macaulay (3)
BDF vs. FC Belize – 1-1
Goals by Leon “Lem” Jones, Marlon Meza
FC Belize vs. Verdes FC – 1-2
Goals by Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton (2), Christobal Gilharry (1)
Verdes vs. Placencia Assassins 2-0
Goals by Humberto Requena, Rodney Torres
Police United vs. San Ignacio United – 4-1
Goals by Amin “Tacos” August, Lennox “Criminal” Castillo, Orlando “Lichy” Jimenez, Ryan Seravia, Garrett Bermudez
San Ignacio United vs. FC San Felipe Barcelona – 1-1
Goal by Rosni Martinez and Clifton West
Upcoming matches
FC Belize vs. Bandits, Isidoro Beaton Stadium, Saturday night
Police United vs. Verdes, MCC Garden, Sunday
San Ignacio United vs. Placencia Assassins, Norman Broaster Stadium
FC San Felipe Barcelona vs. BDF, Peoples’ Stadium