… disappointing start for the swimmers
IT was certainly not the start Team Guyana wanted at the Inter-Guiana Games in French Guiana as they lost 3-0 to the host in their first male football match and, in the pool, up to press time only Brittany Van Lange and Henk Lowe were able to secure podium spots. The two disciplines (football and swimming) marked the commencement of the 43rd installation of the IGG.
After a colourful opening ceremony at the Stade de Baduel in the French-speaking country capital, Cayenne, and long speeches and cultural items, Guyana and French Guiana took the field amidst loud applause from the jovial crowd at the venue.
French Guiana were visually more aggressive in the first half of the game, having more attempts on goal and possession but the second half told a different story for the Guyanese.
The two sides ended the first half goalless but as the visitors began to apply pressure, the French men fell back which allowed them to be more defensive and keeping their opposing strikers off the ball.
Bad luck struck Guyana in the 49th minute when French Guiana’s striker Carenzo Athnanals was brought down in the penalty area and he made good of the kick that sent his side one goal up.
Meanwhile the Guyanese still seemed threatening on offence but they were reluctant to make use of the easy opportunities that were given.
Striker Sheldon Holder of Pele had some of the responsibilities of giving his country several goals but squandered most of them.
French Guiana’s Rudy Cosset netted his first of two goals in the 83rd minute due to a defensive error and sealed the game six minutes later after taking on a defender one-on-one and placed a hard left-footer that went past a diving Odil Allicock between the uprights.
The Guyanese could have only downed their heads and walk off the field as the home side celebrated yet another victory over them, reminiscent of their 2-0 win last year when the first leg was hosted in Guyana.
Meanwhile in the pool, Chronicle Sport, at press time last evening, could have only obtained the results after eight events and it was only Henk Lowe and Brittany Van Lange who finished within the medal bracket.
Lowe narrowly edged out his teammate Serrano Gonsalves for a bronze medal in the Boys’ 50 metres freestyle while Van Lange copped silver in the Girls’ 100 metres freestyle.
At the opening ceremony, all of the participating countries made it clear that the IGG is here to stay and committed their respective offices’ willingness to work together to make it happen.