WITH GOALS from Rayon Morrison and Eusi Phillips, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) remained unbeaten in this year’s Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer Cup, following their 2-1 victory over Pele when action continued last Monday at the Georgetown Football Club ground. 

On the same day, Flamingo Football Club also picked up their first win of the tournament with a 7-1 rampage over Black Pearl but too late, too late shall be the cry since the team found themselves out of the quarterfinals and the competition.
Morrison opened the scoring 30 minutes into the game, sending the Army men into the lead when the defender, using sublime speed, made his way into the penalty area down the left flank and latched onto a ‘through ball’.
Making no mistake, Morrison, with a one-time touch, let loose a booming left-footed shot that went zooming into the top right hand corner of Pele’s goal, giving GDF a 1-0 cushion at the end of the first half; but Pele didn’t fold to the Army’s relentless attack and equalised through Jumaine Somerset in the 70th minute.
As the GDF defenders failed to properly clear the ball after a goal-mouth scrimmage between the teams, a loose ball landed at the feet of Somerset who made good of the opportunity to level the score at 1-1.
The goal apparently brought out the killer instinct of the GDF team as they created several goal-scoring chances from raids on Pele’s defence, but did not finish off the job.
Phillips grabbed the go-ahead goal and what turned out to be the game-winner in the 86th minute, flying a supposedly offside trap and collecting a well-timed pass which he, calmly, using his skills, evaded a rushing Pele goalkeeper and easily guided the ball into the back of the net and, despite they tried to level the score, Pele’s effort was thwarted by the Army’s resolute defenders.
Meanwhile a hat-trick from Shem Porter (12th, 16th and 82nd minutes) helped propelled a goal-hungry Flamingo FC to a well deserved 7-1 win over Black Pearl to pick up their only win in the competition in what was ultimately their last game.
Flamingo’s other goals came from Dwayne Layne who netted a double in the 20th and 30th minutes while Fabian Crawford and Orin Parris scored a single goal each in the 56th and 59th minute respectively.
Black Pearl’s only goal came as an own goal as they failed to make an impact in the tournament and lost all their matches.
Despite the loss, Pele advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament and would play Riddim Squad on Christmas Day (tomorrow) in game one of the double-header which also features national champions Alpha United coming up against a Trayon Bobb-led Georgetown Football Club (GFC).
GDF booked their quarterfinals berth with the win over Pele and will now play Sunburst Campton on Boxing Day (Friday); the same day Western Tigers face the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

(By Rawle Toney)