CHRISTIANBURG/Wismar Secondary School, popularly known as Multi, cemented their place in history after winning the fifth Digicel Schools football tournament by a 2-1 scoreline over Chase Academy last evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Watched by approximately 4 000 spectators at Guyana’s premier sporting facility, Amar Jones (4th minute) and Omar Brewley (58th minute) scored for the Lindeners who captured their fourth consecutive title; featuring in all five finals.
With the win, ‘Multi’ went back to the Mining Town $1M richer along with bragging rights for another year as National champions.
The two sides had promised an enthralling finale of the country’s lone nationwide schools football but Chase Academy found themselves trailing early in the contest when Jones headed home from a set piece from Duquan Hercules.
Brewley was fouled about 25 yards out on goal and Hercules stepped up to take the free kick. The well-built midfield player is known for his dangerous free-kicks but this time, however, he lobbed a silky smooth ball into the six-yard area and Jones climbed high above the much shorter Chase Academy defenders and neatly tucked the ball at the back of the net.
Pandemonium broke loose in the stands as the Linden supporters, who journeyed the over-60 miles to support their team, burst into celebration.
Back on the pitch, Chase Academy tried but failed to get any real chance on goal. Benjamin had threatened with several well-timed run but the resolute defending of Amaniki Buntin, Seon Barrett and Keyshawn Dey thwarted his every move.
Captain Tevin Crawford, who was later named the tournament’s best goalkeeper, pulled off some crucial saves while, ‘Multi’ kept hunting for more goals.
After forward Jovon Bobb was brought down just on the edge of the penalty area, Brewley stepped up this time to take the free kick.
His sweetly placed shot curved beautifully over the Chase Academy wall as the ball beat Amanackie Forde between the uprights and clipped the uprights.
Dejection was all over Brewley’s face after coming so close to scoring the game’s second goal, as the first half came to a close.
In the match’s second stanza, Chase Academy were the aggressors while Linden where forced to play a more defensive-type football.
Coach Anthony Stephens made the adjustment to withstand the pressure from his Chase Academy counterpart Vurlon Mills whose men were desperate to draw one back.
Benjamin drew a penalty in the 76th minute after being clipped from the side by Barrett in the six-yard area and stepped up to easily convert the goal himself.
In the 85th minute, Benjamin turned smoothly between two defenders close to the goal and sent a rocket on target, but Crawford, by a whisker, barely held on to it before it crossed the goal line.
Linden played it safe, cautiously defending until the final whistle and their players burst into grand jubilation.