By Akeem Greene
In what seemed destined to reach penalty kicks, Fruta Conquerors U-20 captain, Nicholas McArthur, had other plans and scored two late goals in extra time against a weary Santos Football Club U-20 to win the fourth Limacol Football title Sunday.
The match, which created serious intrigue prior to kick-off due to two Under-20 teams reaching the final of a senior football tournament, a first, kept spectators for most of the night on the edge of their seats at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.
With both sides sporting the core of the National youth teams, there was great fluidity in the early stages.
A fair share in possession meant both were on the receiving end of promising offensive attacks.
Santos’ Stephon ‘Zorro’ Reynolds made an acrobatic attempt in a crowded box, but smashed straight to the keeper in the 20th.
The dashing McArthur got good service and produced a curler which was just off-target in the 27th and three minutes later teammate Ravon Bailey, who impressed with tactics throughout the night, missed a tap in from a free-kick.
Santos hit back soon with their marque player Job Cesar, operating like ‘white lightening’ on the forward.
A national youth player, he had extremely good speed and looked to be physical down the right wing.
The only aspect missing was the finishing after making some eye-catching solo sprints on goal.
Though Cesar’s life off of the field virtually kept him off the field, each run and shot he took brought the gathering the off their seats in excitement only to return with a tad frustration.
In the second half, McArthur had a gleeful chance to settle the match before extra time but sent it over the bar.
For the rest of the minutes, the match plateau as both sides looked content to take it to the spot kick until McArthur pounced on a lapse in defence heading it over the keeper, and soon after got a good pass through the middle for successful at goal, sliding it pass a rushing custodian.
Conquerors pocketed $400,000 for the 2-0 triumph, while Santos went home with half of that figure.
McArthur with 12 goals won the Golden Boot and the Most Valuable Player awards while teammate Joel Yapp was voted best Goal Keeper.
In the third place playoff, Wendell Joseph’s strike in the 85th give Riddim Squad the $100,000 prize after the 1-0 win over Pele FC, who had to settle for $50,000.
The tournament was supported by New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation through their Limacol brand and WJ Enterprise through Croxley papers.
