Vieux Fort teams advance into quarterfinals
By-: Robertson S. Henry

Benjamin Gabriel skips over a challenge

VIEUX-FORT, Saint Lucia – Anse-la-Raye and Marchand All-Stars failed to get

past the first round of the 2008 Blackheart/Kashif and Shanghai Knockout

Football Tournament, in contrasting yet similar fashion at the George Odlum

Stadium on Wednesday evening.

In the first gave of the evening’s double header, Vieux-Fort north led by the

exceptional Sheldon Emmanuel, got past Marchand All-Stars 2-1; all three goals

of the highest quality.

The lads from the south opened the scoring, but Marchand stormed back with a

beauty of a header from a one-two play on the left flank.

With the pace of the game at near breakneck speed, Vieux-Fort north never

relented while their opponents’ concentration began to diminish.

Sheldon Emmanuel of Vieux-Fort north (yellow shorts) led from the front

Emmanuel on the left flank outran his marker, forced the custodian to leave his

line, left him stranded, and with pinpoint accuracy, placed the ball into the back

of the net to send the scores of fans into a feeding-like frenzy.

The second game was dull in comparison to its predecessor, as both teams

preferred to employ cautious tactics. Anse-la-Raye gave Vieux-Fort south a scare

when Benjamin Gabriel from outside the area, thundered a shot off the upright;

the goalkeeper knowing absolutely nothing about it.

The game was aggressive as the tackles were hard and brutal, but the officials

were able to exert some level of control and restraint.

As the game ticked to a close, Anse-la-Raye began to press forward, and in the

space of eleven minutes, they threw away nine scoring opportunities, while the

opponents struggled at the other end.

It was to the penalty spot the two combatants went to settle their differences,

with the scores locked at nil-all after regulation and extra time, periods.

Anse-la-Raye began disastrously, hitting the upright with their first kick from the

spot. Then the Vieux-Fort south goalkeeper save another, Anse-la-Raye had no

other choice but began praying for divine intervention.

That did not come as the Vieux-Fort south striker found the back of the nets to

give his team a 4-1 victory, but that is little consolation as their opponents in the

quarterfinals may not be so accommodating.