… Police edge Riddim Squad for third place

WESTERN Tigers have ended as the only unbeaten team and their reward was a whopping $2M as the top prize for the just ended STAG Nations Cup knock-out football championship, which attracted teams from five associations and was sanctioned by the Guyana Football Federation( GFF).While both teams showed good organisation in offence and defence, it was the Western unit who looked the better oiled side with more punchy plays and a desire to win. The Tigers were also effective in shutting out Santos’ main weapon, the diminutive Caesar, whose mental fortitude eventually waned as he was evicted from the match when his presence would have mattered.
It was always going to be an uphill task for Santos to to erase a 2-0 deficit let alone win the match. Any thoughts of mounting a comeback were effectively dispelled when Western scored their third goal in the 78th minute, thanks to Shane Morris’ effort.
But even before the third goal, Santos found themselves a man short when Caesar was sent off. It did not help their cause in crunch time when yet another player, Vashile Cantzlaar, was sent packing by referee Gladwyn Johnson in the 81st minute.
It was all over for Santos with 9 minutes to full time; Western earning the top prize of $2M while Santos, despite the loss, pocketed $1M.
Earlier, the third-place match-up between the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Riddim Squad saw the Police arrest the Mocha-based Riddm Squad 2-1 to take home the third-place prize of $500 000 with $300 000 going to the losers.
Quinsi Holder netted both goals for Police while Riddim Squad’s consolation strike came off the boot of Rawl Ramsay in the 42nd minute, the game effectively sealed in the first half. The second half of the game produced end-to-end action, with Riddim Squad creating lots of opportunities but being kept at bay by the lawmen.