By Rawle Toney
Guyana begun their quest for Caribbean Football Union (CFU) supremacy in a dominant fashion, hammering Anguilla 7 – 0 tonight at the Guyana National Stadium.
It was the first Group 5 CFU Caribbean Cup match and playing against the team that inflected on them, their largest margin of defeat (14 – 0), Anguilla looked hapless against the Golden Jaguars who from the sound of Referee’s Sandy Vasquez’s first while, stood out as the more superior team.
Dwight Peters, who netted two of Guyana’s () goals, opened his account just 11 minutes into the contest when he casually found the net from point-blank range when he timed nicely, a through-ball from Vurlon Mills.
Three minutes later, Christopher Nurse made it 2 – 0, scoring a header from a corner taken by Samuel Cox.
Things were never in the Anguillans favour. In fact, the game was if Guyana were playing against themselves.
Neil Danns was sensational with the ball, creating the bulk of Guyana’s play and his magic on the pitch brought sporadic cheers from the little over 1000 supporters in the stands.
Danns’ work resulted in Eon Alleyne serving Peters with a sweet lob, which the Alpha United forward headed home, much to the delight of the very partisan crowd.
Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson refused to be left out of the goal hunt, scoring just at the end of the first half as Guyana took a 5 – 0 lead at the close.
Things never took a turn for Anguilla, who didn’t get a shot on goal in the first half. The visitor’s nightmare continued when Vurlon Mills a right-footed volley from just inside the penalty area and pushed the scores to 6 – 0.
Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz made his first of three subs when he replaced Mills with UK-based Marcel Barrington.
It didn’t take long for the Englishman to get his first International goal; scoring on a rebound after Devon Millington’s rocket was spilled by Anguilla’s custodian Kasem Thompson to put Guyana up 7 – 0.
The Bolton Wanderers midfield maestro made his way off the pitch to a standing ovation as he was replaced by Millington.
The second half was no different than the first; Anguilla never got off a shot and Guyana salvaged an important opening win.
The competition, will take place during officially-sanctioned FIFA international match periods, giving Member Associations the opportunity to select their best possible teams.
Round two of the Championship is scheduled for May and Round three in October. The 5th Place playoff will take place in November and the finals in May 2017. The top four teams will qualify to the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Guyana, after last night’s engagement, will travel to Puerto Rico for their second Group 5 match on March 29.
Starting XI: Anthony Whyte (GK), Quincy Adams, Samuel Cox, Kester Jacobs, Chris Nurse, Dwight Peters, Tichard Joseph, Eon Alleyne, Vurlon Mills, Gregory Richardson and Neil Danns.
