SUNBURST Camptown shocked  defending champions BK International Western Tigers with a feisty heartrending 2-0 win while Pele out-shot their opponents Santos 3-2 in a game which may not be seen as classic but indeed dramatic to reach the semifinals Monday night  at the Guyana National Stadium, where  the teams battled it out for a final berth to be played this evening  which will follow a first semifinal game between Alpha United and Bakewell Topp XX from 18:00 h at the same venue. The reigning champions BK International Western Tigers were first to fall by the wayside after the Camptown side had gotten a solid 2-0 cushion lead after the first half ended. Devon Forde first breached the defence with a goal in the 12tn minute.
As the Camptown side were able to look more relaxed and in control their momentum showed on a number of occasions where they were able to make inroads into  the Tigers  camp. This was credited when former Tigers ace player Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington was brought down just on the right side before crossing the 18-yard box.
The free kick was taken by Codrington, showing ominous signs of a return to scoring form, who sent the ball bursting past the defence with goalkeeper of the Tigers having no chance of bringing off a successful save for a 2-0 lead.
The first half ended with Camptown sounding their intentions as the crowd watched at the wounded Tigers being unable to mount a proper offensive game.
Codrington showed why he was at one time the country’s best striker when he scored his second goal of the match in the 48th minute and it all seemed over for the defending champions.
However, they did mount a response which brought them results  as they were able to reduce the lead with Nedd Fraser  scoring in the 75th minute. As the minutes ticked away the Tigers continued  their forward movement and they were rewarded two minutes from game time when Lorenzo Duesbury found the back of the net in the 88th minute for a 3-2 score.
However, the haste in which the Tigers continued but their efforts was just too late, and misfortunne stared them as the end of their reign came with a 3-2 win for Camptown.
The second and last quarter-final game saw Pele gain a 2-0 win after both sides exhibited tremendous ways of not finding the back of the net in clear goal-scoring situations.
If the first half was one which both sides would like to forget, the second they certainly would not want to remember and a game which fans would remember as simply a pathetic display of finishing relatively easy scoring opportunities.
However, the fortunes went Pele’s way as early as the 47th minute, two minutes after play resumed from a 0-0 first half when Devon Millington secured the go-ahead goal.
He trend continued for both sides with neither being able to put away numerous chances, some which connected to the post and crossbar while others were sent too wide and a few claimed by the goalkeepers.
However, Pele held on to the end for a win which was sealed three minutes into added-on time as Gregory ‘Jackie Chan ‘ Richardson placed a neat shot into an open goal after goalkeeper Onesi Yearwood was again guilty of being out of position.
The final whistle came seconds after and Pele qualified for a place to challenge for the top prize as they play Camptown at 20:00 h in the second game of tonight’s double-header. Pele seem the second-best equipped side, apart from Alpha United and certainly should be favoured to get past Camptown.
However with the momentum which Camptown have, coming through that game against Tigers, they may well be a tough nut to crack, much less get by, when Pele match skills with them tonight.