PLAYING in front of a capacity crowd at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Guyana and Martinique battled to a scoreless draw in their International Friendly on Tuesday evening.
It was the second meeting between the two countries; their first game also ended in a draw (2-2) in 2012.
With a vociferous crowd cheering on both teams, the Lindeners, enjoying international football for the first time since Guyana defeated Barbados 1-0 in 2011, got their money’s worth as the two teams valiantly attempted to outduel the other, but at the end of 90+ minutes, neither side found the back of the net.
For Guyana, it was a result that was much welcomed by the Wayne Dover-coached team, while for Martinique, a side heading to this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, it meant another game where they failed to find the net and pick up a win.
Prior to their encounter against Guyana on Tuesday, Martinique fell 2-0 to Barbados on Sunday in Bridgetown, as the ‘Les Matinino’ fine-tune preparations for their fifth appearance at the CONCACAF spectacle.
Truthfully, it was a game where both teams, simply because of the surface, could not have accurately put together a ‘proper’ six-passes. The MSC ground, despite remedial work done by staff and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), was simply not of proper standard for an International Friendly, and more so one that’s featuring a team heading off to play in a tournament for which Guyana have never qualified.
However, Dover turned to the experience San Juan Jabloteh keeper Andrew Durant and his teammate Vurlon Mills, Pernell Schultz, Trayon Bobb, Brandon Beresford, Philadelphia Union’s Warren Creavalle, captain Samuel Cox, Adrian Butters, Christopher Bourne and Marcel Barrington as his starters, charged with setting the tone for the game.
In the 17th minute, Martinique skipper Kevin Parsemain, after being fouled approximately 22 yards out from goal, curled his right-footed free-kick to perfection, forcing Durant to dive to his left to make the save.
Parsemain continued to torment the Jaguars’ defence when, in the 31st minute, he sneaked into the six-yard area and collected a pass via a nice little flick from his teammate, but his shot went sailing over the crossbar at the ‘Police Station’ end of the pitch.
At the other end, Mills, Bobb, Bourne and Barrington really didn’t do much to penetrate the visitors’ defence. In fact, Guyana did not make a proper attempt on goal in the entire first half.
Mills’ header just before halftime that went wide of the goal was the only real chance the mammoth crowd had to cheer about for the home side.
In the latter half, chants of “Let’s go Guyana”, coupled with the loud sounds of horns coming from the ‘sea of yellow’ seemed to have motivated the Guyanese team and ten minutes in, Pernell Schultz came the closest to scoring.
The former Morvant Caledonia United player’s shot was timed to perfection and hit hard but it went mere inches over the cross bar.
The crowd rose to their feet in appreciation and cheered even louder when Lindener Clive Nobrega was introduced in the 65th minute.
But Martinique skipper then saw his shot come off the post in the 69th minute, while Durant denied Djenhael Mainage’s effort in the 81st minute.
Before being replaced by Akel Clarke due to injury, Durant also rescued Guyana by denying Stephane Abaul’s shot at close range.
The game offered nothing more for the fans, who, despite not seeing a single goal scored, applauded the two sides for their efforts.