Wins for Riddim Squad, Winners Connection, Alpha and Den Amstel
FOUR TEAMS namely Riddim Squad, Winners Connection of Linden, defending champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United and Den Amstel Porknockers recorded victories in the latest round of matches in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Premier League which was contested last Sunday at two venues.Riddim Squad defeated Santos 3-1, Winners Connection came away with a victory via the same scoreline over heavyweights Western Tigers, Alpha edged Guyana Defence Force 2-1 while Den Amstel hosted and defeated Buxton United 3-0 at the Den Amstel ground.
Riddim Squad took the lead in the 27th minute of their contest against Santos, when Sheldon Hope chipped his shot over the onrushing Santos custodian, but his side were dealt a severe blow, when he was given marching orders for striking out at an opponent in the first minute of added time in the first half.
With the numbers in their favour, Santos used same to their advantage and snared the equaliser two minutes after Hope had left, when Linden Pickets rocked Riddim Squad’s goal with a well-placed header.
Riddim Squad jumped back into the lead in the 63rd minute as Amos Ramsay netted albeit a hard-fought 18 minutes later, courtesy of a Jermain Liverpool goal.
In the opening fixture at the venue which hosted a triple-header, Winners Connection led by a Rawle Gittens double in the 6th and 44th minutes of play, coupled with a Keon Sears strike in the 74th minute, guided Winners Connection to a shocking upset 3-1 victory over Western Tigers, whose consolation goal was scored by Jerome Richardson in the 33rd minute.
In the final match, Alpha United, through goals from Kithson Bain and Manasseh Primo in the 4th and 78th minutes respectively, underlined their supremacy in local football with the 2-1 over the GDF, for whom Desford Williams found the back of the net in the 13th minute, nullifying Bain’s strike, until Primo separated the two sides.
At the Den Amstel ground on the West Coast of Demerara, Jeffrey Perreira scored a brace in the 66th and 75th minutes, which backed Orette Stephenson’s opening strike in the 24th minute that guided Den Amstel Porknockers to their 3-0 win over Buxton United.