Topp XX edge GDF

Members of the victorious Pele Football Club along with ardent supporters celebrate after the team’s 1-0 win against Sunburst Camptown at the Guyana National Stadium on New Year’s night (Photos by Sonell Nelson)

IT was a case of being third time lucky for Pele Football Club as they ruled over Sunburst Camptown on New Year’s night, in the final of the 19th Annual Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament by a 1-0 margin at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

In the third place play-off, eight-time finalists and five-time champions Topp XX edged the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 3-2 in a match that went into extra time after the two teams were locked 2-2 at the end of regulation time.

In the feature match, Gerald Whittington, a loan player from Linden’s Silver Shattas, scored the lone goal of the match as early as the 7th minute to ensure Pele draw down the $1M first prize money and trophy, leaving his team’s opponents (Camptown) to settle for the $500 000 second cash prize and trophy.

Topp XX on the other hand earned $250 000 for placing third, while GDF won the $125 000 fourth prize.

Kayode McKinnon, and Carey Harris accounted for Topp XX’s winning goals with the former scoring in the 56th minute while the latter found the back of the opposition’s net in the 72nd minute of regulation time and the 20th minute of extra time.

Stellon David netted a double for the Army team in the 2nd and 77th minutes.

The third place play-off was witnessed by a less-than-full stadium and the small crowd had to endure some scrappy football from both teams, despite the final score line, but the feature match was witnessed by a more-than-capacity crowd that got their money’s worth in terms of skill.

However, the score line could have been very different if the two teams had capitalised on the many chances they each created, but failed miserably to finish.

Pele’s winning goalscorer Gerald Whittington who was on loan from Linden side Silver Shatters.

Whittington gave Pele an early lead when his team counter-attacked down the left wing and the ball was played across the goal, at which point Camptown’s custodian Richie Richards came off his line, the ball struck him and rebounded to Whittington, who made no mistake in placing it into the goal at second post.

The play subsequently fluctuated and Camptown came very close to finding the equaliser as Nigel `Powers’ Codrington ran into Pele’s 18-yard box while his team was on the attack down the middle.

Codrington, with his back to the ball, looked over his right shoulder, saw the ball coming to him while he was already in the goalkeeper’s (Shemroy Arthur) protective box, made a 360 degree turn and executed a relic (bicycle) that caused Arthur to extend full length and touched the ball off the goal line for a corner which Camptown failed to convert, mainly through some stout work by defence marshal Charles `Lilly’ Pollard who was ably assisted by team captain Dirk Archer.

Soon after, Codrington dribbled Pele’s defence and was brought down in the 18-yard box, but the resulting penalty was struck wide of the uprights by Troy Prescod, the team’s most reliable midfield player.

Trailing 0-1 going into the second session and sensing the morbid prangs of defeat, Camptown came out a goal-hungry bunch but at the same time being overprotective of their goal area which resulted in Pele being awarded a penalty.

Pele’s Gregory `Jackie Chan’ Richardson (#21) and two of Camptown’s defenders fight for ball possession in the final of the Kashif and Shanghai tournament at the Providence stadium on New Year’s night. Pele won 1-0.

This was after Richardson raced down the midfield, dribbled the opposition’s defence comprehensively, but was brought down in the box.

Richardson took the penalty kick himself and kicked the ball flat to the left of the goal. Unfortunately Richards went to the same side and grabbed the ball.

When the final whistle sounded, Pele’s supporters invaded the field of play in wild celebration while the fireworks went off, bringing a truly successful tournament to an end.

Prior to the start of the final, the two teams were met by His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo who pumped over $8M into this year’s tournament, $5M to the organisers and $200 000 to each of the 16 teams that participated.

Meanwhile, a date is to be announced sometime today re the presentation of prizes to the respective winners.

While the first four-placed teams have been decided, it is not yet known who are the individual prize winners but Alpha United’s Elton Browne has scored the highest number of goals – five.