Participating teams are making an all-out bid to secure qualifying spots in this season’s Blackheart Knockout Football Tournament, as the competition continues at the Soufriere playing field.
Today (Wednesday), the final round of qualifying matches come off at Soufriere, with the following matches down for play;
Desruisseaux vs. Dennery – 6.00 p.m.
Vieux Fort South vs. Anse la Raye – 8.00 p.m.
This Saturday, the action moves to the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground [DSCG] where qualifying teams will compete in the semi-finals with the winners moving on to the finals for a shot at the coveted football title.
The finals has been scheduled for next Saturday (October, 29) at the same venue.
In quarter-final action, last Saturday, at Soufriere, Dennery – winners of this year’s BKF Big 8, got past Central Castries 3-2, to secure a qualifying spot.
Though Shem Joseph put Central Castries ahead in the 30th minute, Dennery struck back to get the equalizer through Elijah Joseph (45+1 minute).Sherman St. Rose hit a brace(54th and 65th minutes) to give his team the advantage , while Jamal Wilfred scored for the city lads in 90+2 minutes.
Anse la Raye beat Mabouya Valley 2-1 in a thrilling encounter to advance to the next round of the BKF qualifiers.
The west-coast based district team took an early lead in the 4th minute through Djal Shem Augustin, but five minutes later, Mabouya’s Shervius Oculie got the equalizer.
However, Anse la Raye persisted with strong offensive play and was rewarded with the winning goal from McArthur Louis in the 39th minute, to seal victory.
Gros Islet, last Sunday, signaled it’s early intention with a record scoring goal in merely 18 seconds of play from Jahlil Evans, in it’s march to a convincing 2-1 victory over Marchand. And though Marchand hit back with the equalizer from Ferguson St. Clair in the 18th minute; Aranis Gilbert converted on the cusp of the break in the 46th minute to set up Gros Islet’s victory.
La Clery eliminated the home team Soufriere 2-nil in the preceding encounter that soccer fans and pundits dubbed as ‘the most exciting’ match of the season, thus far. The aggression on the field was as ‘super charged’ as the ambience in the stands.
Prolific striker and national player Andrus Remy netted in the 42nd minute to boost La Clery’s confidence, forcing Soufriere to pick up the pace.
However, Jonathan Alleyne doubled the score in the 56th minute to present an imposing challenge for the ‘Sulphur City’ Boys to overcome. Despite some late aggression that resulted in the officiating referee having to issue a series of yellow cards, the suburban city squad rallied on to earn a hard-fought win.