SIX (of eight) days into the 2019-2020 edition of the GFF Super 16 Cup the semi-finals will be contested tomorrow night at GFC ground, Bourda.

New champions would be crowned following the exit of defending champions, Den Amstel at the hands of Santos Football Club in clinical fashion, 3-0.

Netting the final goal was Kester ‘Shoes’ Jacobs who had won the 2018-2019 championship with Den Amstel. For that matter, Santos current captain and central defender Kevin Dundas also won the tournament with Den Amstel.

The match-ups on Boxing Night were anticipated to be exciting. The young Buxton United did take the fight to the Guyana Defence Force, but were guilty of spilling at least three chances in the first half which, and as has been the case ever so often not capitalising, came back to haunt them as the soldiers nailed them in the end.

Santos ensured themselves a chance to challenge for the top prize by eliminating defending champions, West Demerara’s Den Amstel, compliments of a solid 3-0 win. The match that continued from Christmas night between Guyana Police Force and Western Tigers saw the lawmen put the Tigers away very early – Trayon Bobb scoring on the first run down) of the ten-minute affair.

The match, which was the feature affair on Christmas night, had to be continued on Boxing Night due to problems with the lights at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary. At that juncture, the score was tied 1-1 and the game was in the second half of extra time.
Daniel Wilson had sent Police ahead in the 50th minute but Western Tigers found the neutralising goal on the stroke of full time (89th minute) via the penalty route, Andrew Murray nailing the shot.

Fast track to Boxing Night, when the whistle was sounded to signal the start of the final ten minutes at GFC, the man starting the ball, Bobb in combo with Wilson and Pernel Shultz and teammates showed the energy and focus to score straightaway even as the Tigers were still getting warm.

Western, somehow did not seem enarmoured to give it their having had almost 24-hours to recover. Their lack of capitalising on the moment cost them in the end.
Police have now advanced to the last four and have earned a date with the Guyana Defence Force in a match that certainly has all the ingredients for an explosive combat.

The Army was held under duress for some time against the young and exciting Buxton United but the Buxtonians can blame only themselves for letting their opponents off the hook.

With the first half ending 0-0, it was Buxton who took the lead in the 61st minute, Omari Glasgow finally was able to find the target after a few misses – one of those, mere minutes before he beat GDF custodian, Enoch Carmichael.

But Buxton’s goal only woke up the GDF side as they responded in like manner four minutes later, Benjamin Opara levelling things up in the 65th minute with his fourth goal of the tournament, the same as Fruta Conquerors’ Delon Lanferman.
That goal changed the momentum of the match and GDF eventually sealed the deal with a Sherwin Caesar goal in the 90th minute.

Santos, even though they were reduced to 10-men in the 69th minute, were still able to send Den Amstel packing. Ryan October’s second yellow card in the 69th minute after the first in the 6th minute, did not really matter as by then, Santos were already up 2-0.
The battle was real as neither team wanted to give up any real estate in the final third which made it difficult for chances to be had. But Santos eventually found the opening in the 43rd minute, Orin Yarde pouncing the chance with glee to hammer his shot past goalkeeper Ryan Hunte.

Stephon Reynold doubled the advantage for Santos two minutes into the second half and by then it was all over bar the shouting for Den Amstel. The sealer, which more or less rubbed salt into the wounds of the Den Amstel team, came off the boot of one of their own, Kester Jacobs in the 90+2 minutes.

Santos have earned a date with Fruta Conquerors in the first semi-final tomorrow night at the GFC ground. The second semi would be a battle of the armed forces when the Guyana Defence Force throw down the gauntlet to their counterparts from Guyana Police Force.