HEARTS were broken and tears were shed last Sunday but in the end after two enthralling matches at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Christianburg/Wismar Secondary and Mackenzie High School advanced to the quarter-finals of the Kashif and Shanghai/Chico Elite Next Generation Secondary School football tournament. The heavy downpour of rain could not keep scores of football fans from converging on Linden’s premier sporting facility to show support to the next generation of football stars and they were not disappointed since the teams turned in some fascinating performances.

Two-time Digicel schools champions Christianburg/Wismar, more popularly known as Multi, defeated New Silvercity Secondary 4-3 on penalty kicks after finishing their regular time fixture goalless, while Mackenzie High School (MHS) demolished the visiting Leonora Secondary 4-0 in the opening game of the double-header.
With Major League Soccer (MLS) Super-Star Dwayne De Rosario in attendance, the players all turned in their best performance which led to the already rained-soaked venue being ‘flooded’ with tears, mainly from the students and even supporting parents of the New Silvercity Secondary.
It was one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament – a Wismar Derby – since New Silvercity had won the hearts of the Lindeners with their mature football tactics, but Christianburg/Wismar Secondary certainly has the best secondary school football-playing team in Guyana.
By virtue of winning back-to-back Digicel School football titles while featuring in all three finals in the foremost schools football tournaments they have positioned themselves as the ‘team to beat’ at this level.
Rain had threatened to keep the crowd away, but parents, teachers and students refused to let the inclement weather hinder them from supporting their respective schools and in the ‘Wismar Derby’ it was hard for an outsider to really choose a side to win since the game, especially in the first half was evenly balanced. outsider
While New Silvercity created more chances, that did not bother the Christianburg-based ‘Multi’, but the second stanza told an entirely different story.
New Silvercity forced the National school champions to fall deep into their defence and capitalised on a free kick in the 85th minute that was scored in a goal-mouth scramble, only to see the assistant referee’s flag airborne for an infringement, with one of the players being caught in the off-side position.
The huge crowd in attendance, most of them supporting ‘Multi’, cheered at the result, while the New Silvercity supporters voiced their displeasure with the call.
In the end it came down to penalty kicks and after scoring his side’s last kick, Multi’s custodian effected a save from the opposing team’s kicker, to spark off celebrations among his teammates and their band of supporters off the field, as they head into a quarterfinal clash with the winner of the contest between Bladen Hall Multilateral and Ann’s Grove Secondary.
Meanwhile in the opening game, it was as easy as a Sunday afternoon walk for MHS who were led by goals from Akeem Higgins (5th), Qualon Andrews (75th, Randy Hohenkirk (79th) and Teniel Charles (83rd) in a one-sided clash against Leonora. They go on to face St George’s on Friday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.
Written By Rawle Toney