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The Trinidadian side, who upset Major League's Soccer New England Revolution in their first round assignment, were undermined by Stefano Pesoli's 14th minute strike and Tony Donatelli's early second-half goal.
To their credit, Joe Public were frustrated by superb keeping by custodian Matt Jordan who pulled off a string of superb saves to deny the visitors in the steady rain that cloaked the stadium.
Despite the loss, Joe Public's coach Keith Griffith said he was confident his side would rebound emphatically in the second leg.
"(He) can't be that brilliant again. The next time we meet the Impact at Marvin Lee (Stadium), we'll beat them by four goals clear, for sure," Griffith noted.
The hosts took the lead when Donatelli squared a pass from Leonardo Dilorenzo across the box to Pesoli who struck a well-placed volley past Joe Public goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa.
Joe Public almost equalised in the 25th minute but Guyanese Gregory Richardson's header was brilliantly saved by Jordan.
Richardson, who scored three times against the Revolution, out-jumped the defence and nodded Wolry Wolfe's corner kick on target, forcing Jordan to tip the ball over.
Three minutes later, Richardson was frustrated again by Jordan who came boldly off his line to clear the looming threat with a clean, sliding tackle.
Joe Public were set back immediately after the break when Montreal quickly doubled their slim 1-0 lead.
Donatelli pounced on a loose ball that was not cleared by defender Jason Springer and buried it into the roof of the net, to put his side in control.
The all-important goal for Joe Public remained elusive and to add to their worries, Jordan again denied Richardson at point blank range in the 55th minute.
Jordan was on hand again in the 85th minute to quash another potential goal. Second-half substitute Lyndon Andrews found himself one-on-one with the brilliant Jordan, after Richardson's through ball, but lost the ensuing battle.
The two teams will meet again on October 8.
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The "Vincy Heat" knew beforehand that three points were an absolute necessity, with Grenada currently positioned to qualify for the next round from Group A (as the worst second place qualifier), on three points with a neutral goal difference, SVG knew they would have to overturn their 3-0 defeat versus Martinique in the opening match of DCC's Group E, with at least 4 goals against Anguilla.
With pressure to perform on the night, an early goal would have been the best remedy to soothe early jitters for the Vincentians, against an unknown quantity in Anguilla. Surprisingly though, it was Anguilla who fired the first salvo of the match in minute ten through Glenville Allen.
This stirred the Vincentians to action as they fired off three shots in quick succession, to establish their own offensive intentions. In the early going it was Emerald George that showed a little sparkle, with his express pace chasing down balls played over the top. However, Anguilla's defensive posture soon cut off the avenues along the flanks, forcing the Vincentians to play narrower, which led to midfield gridlock for the opening half hour.
Anguilla defended the Fort with all they had, and did well to limit the Vincentians to difficult shooting opportunities, whilst still looking for opportunities to counter attack mainly through playmaker Simon Anthony - which seems to have been their game plan all along.
But the fuse for this match was well and truly lit in minute 37 as Darren Francis snuck in at the far post to knee in a cross delivered from the right by standout performer Myron Samuel, to take the score to 1-0 in favour of SVG.
Shockingly, St Vincent would shoot themselves in the foot just 1 minute after having taken the lead, when a looped back header from Troy Jeffers proved to be a Trojan horse for goalkeeper Winslow McDonald, who sold the farm when he came to collect the ball at the edge of the 18 yard box only to see it arc over his head into an empty net, and bring parity to a match that was up to this point clearly one sided.
That own goal by Jeffers was SVG's third in two games, but few would have thought it would prove so costly, as SVG looked like they could score with each forward move.
But they weren't tied for long as just a minute later a third goal was scored, this time in the goal they were meant to, as a low sweeping shot from Darren Hammlet on the right side of the box got SVG back on track, with Anguilla tragically sluggish in their reaction to the danger inside their own 18 yard box.
To their credit, the Vincy Heat would turn up the temperature for the remainder of the half, but never quite reach a boil, creating chance after chance only to see clumsy touches and wayward shooting squander what the midfield had worked hard to create.
The second half saw SVG burst out of the gates through Myron Samuel once more, when he was taken down in the box by Kevin Hawley's late challenge from behind. Darren Francis would step up to take the spot kick; but with the spotlight on him, he was unable to find a way past the glare of keeper Kelvin Liddie.
With two more goals an absolute minimum for SVG, they continued to press, their improved passing found new angles for shots on goal but it would take the individual brilliance of the number ten Myron Samuels to halve that target. Samuel picked up a loose pass some 30 yards from goal, knock it around his man, recollect it on the other side, before producing a majestic finish with the outside of the left boot that saw the ball rise up into the top left corner.
The goal was a masterpiece, and considering it was Samuels first at international level, all the more sweet. However, Samuels and SVG couldn't savour the flavour for long, as their goal chase continued to intensify with each minute that passed.
With time as their enemy, and in spite of their best efforts that saw a header cleared off the line, Liddie left stranded with the net agape, and countless one on ones with the SVG keeper, somehow fate and plucky Anguillan defensive work kept the Vincentians at bay. And when the final whistle blew, you may not have realized SVG had won the match 3-1, as both teams left the field looking like broken teams, the Vincentians dreams in tatters -- despite not allowing a shot on goal from the Anguillans.
To be fair though Anguilla still may harbour some hope of qualifying to the next phase in Trinidad, even though it means they'll have to beat host Martinique by a margin of at least three goals if they are to advance to the Knockout stage of the Digicel Caribbean Championships 2008.
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The 44-year-old
Liverpool club legend, who was born in Jamaica, will replace
Brazilian Rene Simoes, who was axed after Jamaica's 2-0 loss
to Honduras in their CONCACAF World Cup qualifier last week.
Barnes, however, will not start his duties until after Jamaica's three remaining home matches in the CONCACAF World Cup semi-final round qualifiers.
"Barnes will take up official duties on November 1 and will be in charge of the preparation of the national team for the Digicel Caribbean Cup between December 1 and 15, the CONCACAF Gold Cup scheduled for June 2009, and the Final Round World Cup Qualifiers in 2009, should Jamaica advance to this stage of the competition," the Jamaica Football Federation said in a release Tuesday.
According to the release, Barnes' contract will be reviewed following these competitions.
With Barnes set to take over in November, the JFF has given the job of guiding Jamaica into the final round to former national player and current assistant coach, Theodore Whitmore.
"Whitmore will continue as assistant national coach to Barnes, following these semi-final round games," the release stated.
Barnes, who was recently on a Caribbean tour where he conducted a Digicel Youth camp, played 79 internationals for England between 1983 and 1995.
He also played professional football for Watford, Newcastle United and Charlton Athletic in the Premier league and League Championship.
He made 409 appearances for Liverpool scoring 108 goals. He was voted Football Writers' Association Player-of-the-Year in 1988 and 1990 and PFA Footballer-of-the-Year in 1988. In 1997, he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen.
Barnes also coached at Scottish club Celtic, which he joined in 1999.
JFF president Captain Horace Burrell fired Simoes and the full contingent of his staff with immediate effect last week, as Jamaica's horrid run in the World Cup qualifiers continued.
The Reggae Boyz are bottom of the standings on one point in Group 2 of the CONCACAF competition and have little hope of reaching the final round.
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Jamaican Daley and Giddings, from Guyana, were standouts in the West Indies Women's Championship in St Lucia last month and are in a 14-member squad for tour beginning mid-October.
Regional champions Jamaica have Daley and the outstanding batter Stafanie Taylor in the squad while ex-champions Trinidad and Tobago have secured four picks -- Stacy Ann King, Anisa Mohammed, Merissa Aguillera and Kirbyina Alexander, who is the vice-captain.
The versatile Deandra Dottin is one of three Barbadians in the squad. Danielle Small and Charlene Taitt are the other Barbadians.
Dottin was an Under-20 javelin gold medallist at the CARIFTA Games in St Kitts this year after being a CARIFTA triple gold medallist in the Turks and Caicos Islands last year, landing the Under-17 javelin, shot put, and discus titles.
The St Vincent and the Grenadines pacer Phernel Charles makes a return to the set-up for the first time in almost eight years.
The Windies girls tour Pakistan from October 14 before going to Sri Lanka in November as a crucial part of their preparation for next year's Women's World Cup in Australia and the Twenty20 World Cup in England.
In Pakistan, the Caribbean side will play five One-Day International (ODI) matches and three Twenty20 games, and they will play five ODIs in Sri Lanka.
Squad - Nadine George (captain), Kirbyina Alexander (vice-captain), Stafanie Taylor, Charlene Taitt, Deandra Dottin, Shanel Daley, Danielle Small, Juliana Nero, Stacy Ann King, Phernel Charles, Anisa Mohammed, Erva Giddings, Merissa Aguilleira, Afy Fletcher.
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The 25-year-old recorded a time of 9.89 seconds - his seventh successive time under 9.90sec since finishing fifth in the Olympic final - in pretty terrible weather conditions.
American Mike Rodgers finished second in 10.23sec while Andrew Hinds of Barbados was third in 10.41sec.
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Patrick Percin's early second half goal and own goals either side of halftime propelled the French island to their handsome victory over a youthful new-look SVG unit at the Louis Achille Stadium.
The win placed Martinique in pole position to join other group winners in the second stage of the Digicel Caribbean Championship.
The Martinique playmaker Percin featured in the opening goal when his cross was badly handled by defender Roy Richards, who succeeded only in deflecting the ball into his own goal.
SVG, on a rebuilding programme, managed to prevent the home side from scoring again before halftime but Martinique widened their advantage immediately after the break with two quick strikes.
Jose Goron's cross found Percin at the far post and the skilful attacking midfielder made no mistake.
A minute later, SVG's goalkeeper Winslow McDowall awkwardly tried to clear a Mikael Chorsora cross and knocked the ball into his own goal.
The series continues today with SVG facing the Caribbean Football Union's bottom-ranked Anguilla.
Martinique will aim to wrap up group honours when they tackle the Anguillans on Friday.
The group winners will join Group A champions Netherlands Antilles, Group B winners Guyana, Group C winners Antigua & Barbuda, and the winners from Group D (St Kitts & Nevis) later this month along with the Cayman Islands -- and three other best second-place teams -- in the second stage of the Digicel Caribbean Championship, a qualifier for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
In the second stage, three of the semi-finalists from the last tournament, Guadeloupe (October 9-16), Cuba (October 20-26) and Trinidad and Tobago (November 3-10) will host Group F, G and H respectively.
The eight-team finals are scheduled for Jamaica December 1-14 with reigning champions Haiti and the hosts as automatic qualifiers.
The champions will earn a prize of US$120 000. The runners-up pocket US$70 000 while US$50 000 goes to the third-place team and US$30 for fourth.
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In yesterday's encounter, the visitors finished the game with 10 men after Juan Alas was sent off in the 73rd minute for a clumsy challenge on Evan Taylor.
Jamaican defender, Keithy Simpson (left) beats El Salvador striker Mark Blanco to a loose ball during the second game of their two-match friendly series at the Ferdie Neita Sports Complex yesterday. The game ended 0-0, but Jamaica won the series 1-0 on aggregate. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
The match was an improvement from Friday's opening game and coach Donovan Duckie was pleased to end the series victorious.
"We treated the two games tactically a bit different," he said.
"At Harbour View, we were a little aggressive up front, but today (yesterday) we were a bit more patient and the result is good," he said.
"But what is important is the foundation that has been set for this team, it is a solid one to build on," Duckie added.
In an evenly contested game, the hosts got the better of the goal-scoring chances in the first half, with Andre Clennon missing a sitter from six yards. Good chances also fell to Alanzo Adlam, Theo Brown and John-Ross Doyley.
Ricardo Rojas had the Salvadorians best chance of the half, but goalkeeper Andre Blake saved his shot from the edge of the box.
In the second half, Mark Blanco came close on two occasions for the visitors, while Jamaica's best effort came from Taylor from 25 yards.
The young Reggae Boyz are preparing for the second round of the World Cup qualifiers to be held in Aruba in November.
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J'cans Walker, Fraser win in Stuttgart |
Shelly-Ann
Fraser (left) of Jamaica sprints to win the 100 metres competition
against Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie from the Bahamas during the
IAAF World Athletics Final at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart,
Germany, yesterday. (Photo: AP) The unbeaten Walker decimated the field by over 20 metres in taking the women's 400m hurdles in 54.06 seconds ahead of Ukraine's Anastasiya Rabchenyuk (54.92) and the USA's Tiffany Williams (55.16).
"I know I'm a good athlete, but sometimes I can be 'don't care', and this year I said I'm going to be serious about racing," Walker said after having a fantastic year, which included victories in six Grand Prix and one Golden League meeting.
Fraser was slowest out of the blocks (0.180 reaction time), but pulled away from the field in the last 30 metres to win in 10.94, the tenth fastest time this year, and cap a near perfect season ahead of fellow Jamaican and Olympic 100m silver medallist Kerron Stewart (11.06).
"I was working on some stuff and it paid off and I'm happy. I was working on getting my first three strides to be as long as possible and just come out here and win and I wanted to win," Fraser told the Observer.
The athlete returns to Jamaica today though several others of her MVP club teammates will be heading to Poland for a meet there on Wednesday.
Melaine Walker from Jamaica passes a hurdle on her way to winning the 400 metres hurdles competition during the IAAF World Athletics Final at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday. (Photo: AP)
Stewart, who also closed her season, registered her fastest ever reaction time (0.169) in the race.
"It's not a bad way to end the season," Stewart said.
Marshevet Hooker of the USA was third and was credited with the same time as Stewart.
There was a false start in the women's 400m, but when the race was eventually run, it saw Jamaica's Novlene Williams finishing third in 51.30 secs behind Jamaica-born American runner Sanya Richards (50.41) and Olympic champion Christine Ohurougu in second in 50.83.
Williams, who was running out of lane eight, said the false start threw her off.
"When the first gun went off, I didn't know what was going on.," she said.
Richards also won the 200m on Saturday and was happy with victory after finishing the Olympic Games with a bronze medal despite being favourite to take the title.
"I wanted to end the season on a high note... I worked so hard all year," she said, as she complained of the weather.
Jamaica's Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams clocked 51.55 for fifth while Shereefa Lloyd (51.86) was eighth.
National record-holder Kenia Sinclair was fourth in the women's 800m, which was won by the seemingly unstoppable Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo of Ethiopia in a championship record 1:56.23.
Jelimo won the US$1 million Golden League jackpot just over a week ago.
Sinclair clocked 1:58.85 and afterwards complained of the weather which appears colder than normal.
"It was alright.a little too cold, but I just went out there and did my best," she said.
Janet Jepkosgei of Ethiopia (1:58.41) and Great Britain's Marilyn Okoro (1:58.64) were second and third respectively.
Olympic semi-finalist Jamaican Chris Williams finished fourth in the men's 200m in a time of 20.66 as Mauritius' Stephane Buckland took the event in 20.57 ahead of Paul Hession of Ireland (20.58) and Antigua's Brendan Christian (20.61).
Meanwhile, Croatia's Olympic silver medallist Blanka Vlasic cleared a championship record 2.01m to win the women's high jump with Olympic champ Tia Hellebaut of Belgium third after clearing 1.97m.
Asafa Powell was the other Jamaican winner of the 15 who competed here this weekend.
The purse for the event, in its sixth year, is US$3 million, with the top three places splitting US$62,000.
The IAAF/VTB World Athletics Final moves to Thessaloniki, Greece in 2009.
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"I think it's going to continue like this for a good period of time," Powell told the Sunday Observer immediately following the race.
The six-footer looked
easy in clocking 9.87 seconds (0.4 m/s) ahead of his Olympic
4x100m gold medal teammates Nesta Carter (10.07) and Michael
Frater (10.10), while 2003 world champion Kim Collins of St Kitts
was fourth in 10.22. Powell has set three meet records here but said another would have been difficult yesterday.
"This kind of weather is cold and we were out there for a while so it wasn't possible," he said.
Olympic fourth-placed finisher Danny McFarlane was second in the men's 400m hurdles, while Delloreen Ennis-London and Kerron Stewart were third in the 100m hurdles and 200m, respectively.
McFarlane led for over 300m before being nipped at the line by world champion Kerron Clement of the USA, clocking 49 seconds to Clement's 48.96.
"I expected him to come at the end but I didn't think he could keep up with me after the 10th hurdle, but he was just strong and I did my best," he said.
McFarlane, 36, who came out of a short retirement earlier this year, said he will be back even better in 2009.
"Reebok allowed me to come back. last year I said I'm going to come back and do better. I did that. running this good I don't think it's wise to leave any money out there. I have kids to feed," he told the Sunday Observer.
A second-place finish here carries a US$20,000 (J$1,400,000) prize tag.
Isa Phillips (49.22) and Markino Buckley (49.52) were third and fourth, respectively.
Ennis-London clocked 12.56, the same time as third-placed Lolo Jones, but was credited with third. Spain's Josephine Onyia surprised the field in 12.54 seconds.
Ennis-London, who a week ago responded to an article published on Sports Illustrated's website about receiving Human Growth Hormone (HGH) via an Internet doctor, said that experience was behind her, "Because I've done nothing wrong and I'm just very thankful to finish in the top three and I'm looking forward to the future," she told the Sunday Observer.
Brigitte Foster-Hylton finished fifth in 12.67 behind Olympic champ Dawn Harper in (12.67), while silver medallist Sally McLellan was seventh in 12.821 behind bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes (12.81).
"I haven't trained in Beijing because I was sick so I wasn't expecting to come out and represent, but I did just that," Foster-Hylton said.
Sanya Richards looked easy as she claimed the 200m in 22.50 with Stewart third in 22.72. Marshavet Hooker separated the two in 22.69.
Pan Am Games silver medallist Dorian Scott threw 20.04m for fifth in the shot put.
Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist LaShawn Merritt literally threw himself across the finish line to win the men's 400m in 44.50 seconds ahead of silver medallist Jeremy Wariner (44.51), while Olympic 400m hurdles champion Angelo Taylor was fourth in 45.37.
Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic earned US$100,000 after setting a world record 72.28m in the women's javelin, eclipsing the 71.70m set by Cuba's Olseidys Menendez in 2005.
Eight Jamaicans will be in today's second and final day of action.
Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, with a season and personal best 10.78 seconds, challenges Olympics silver medallist and compatriot Kerron Stewart, along with American Lauryn Williams in the women's 100m.
Melanie Walker enters the women's 400m hurdles final with the best time this season (52.64) which she clocked for an Olympic record in Beijing.
The women's 400m will feature five of the eight Olympic finalists including champion Christine Ohurougu of Great Britain.
She will take on Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams and two other members of Jamaica's 4x400m bronze medal winning team in Novlene Williams and Shereefa Lloyd.
Richards, who was surprised into bronze at the Olympics, will also be in the line-up with Amantle Montsho of Botswana and Russia's Tatyana Firov.
Williams, who was right on Ohurougu in the last few metres of the Olympic final and said had she run her own race she might have won, told the Sunday Observer that she will be putting out her best today.
"It depends on how I feel come today, but I'm just going to go out there and do my best," she said.
Kenia Sinclair, who put up a stern test in the first leg of the women's 800m in Beijing but faded in the end, will compete against Ethiopia's newest millionaire and Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo, who claimed the million-dollar Golden League jackpot in Brussels last weekend.
Olympic semifinalist Chris Williams will be the last in action in the men's 200m.
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Digicel has proposed that (a) that the team that plays England on November 1, will wear the official West Indies Jerseys complete with standard Digicel ODI branding, (b) that no other telecommunications company will be involved as a sponsor in respect of the proposed events and (c) that Digicel's legal costs in respect of the dispute and legal proceedings to date as discharged by the WICB.
Moreover, Digicel's compromise solution will involve the waiver of a considerable number of legal and commercial rights owned by Digicel by virtue of its sole and exclusive Sponsorship Agreement with the WICB.
The proposal submitted to the WICB states that Digicel has already secured various Orders against the WICB from the English
Court in relation
to the November 1 event. These Orders, according to the proposal,
shall remain in place until the ongoing Arbitration process between
Digicel and the WICB is fully determined. A decision in the Arbitration
process is expected shortly after a hearing scheduled for early
October. According to Digicel's proposal, the comprise solution will involve Digicel which operates in 23 countries in the Caribbean, foregoing a large number of valuable legal rights and entitlements including broadcast rights, exclusively branded pitch mats, sight screens, perimeter boards, promotional opportunities, advertising, content rights and various other avenues for commercial use that it currently owns by virtue of its sole and exclusive Sponsorship Agreement with the WICB.
The proposal further stated that "Digicel's compromise proposal is being pursued with the best interests of cricket in the West Indies firmly at heart and calls upon both the WICB and Sir Allen Stanford to engage constructively on this matter and to put cricket in the West Indies first."
Digicel has formally notified both the WICB and Stanford of its compromise proposal and is presently awaiting a response within the time period stipulated in its correspondence.
(The date is not stated in the proposal sent out to the media)
Stanford had proposed to play five 20/20 matches between a team selected by his legends headed by Sir Vivian Richards against England. The first match is scheduled to be played on Antigua Independence Day Anniversary November 1, and the other matches to be played every year for the next four year.
The winning team for each game will receive US$20 million i.e. the payout will be US$100 million for the five matches plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money for players of the match, man of the match, and for other outstanding performances.
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Paraguay,
Sept. 12, 2008: In her very first appearance at the South
American Squash Championships, Nicolette Fernandes collected
her fourth straight title since returning to competitive squash
in June of this year. Fernandes came into the tournament as the
top ranked player and proved that she was a cut above the rest
of the field when she won the title without dropping a game.
In the final she dethroned defending champion Thaisa Serafini
of Brazil, 9/5 9/5 9/4, to complete her dominance of the event.Nicolette Fernandes
In the men's category Brazil's Rafael Alarcon produced an even more dominant display when he put away Argentine Matias Valenzuela 9/1 9/2 9/3 in the final.
Since her return to competitive squash in mid June, Fernandes has gradually increased the level of the tournaments she has competed in. She started her return by winning the Guyana national title, then followed that up a week later by winning the St. Lucian Open, in late August she also won her third Southern Caribbean title in Guyana and adds her first South American title. She will return to Guyana shortly to carefully plot her next move as she pursues her ultimate goal of returning to the world stage.
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Two defeats in four days proved too much for the Jamaica Football Federation.
"The Jamaica Football Federation would like to formally announce that it has severed ties with Technical Director of the country's football programme, Professor Rene Simoes, and his Brazilian staff with immediate effect," the federation said in a statement.
The federation is already looking for someone to fill the gap, with three matches remaining in the semi-final phase of qualifying in the North and Central America and Caribbean region.
"Having established clear objectives at the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign and evaluated the results thus far, it became clear to us as a body that our objectives were not being met," the JFF statement said. "Based on that, a decision was taken to part company with Professor Simoes and his staff at this time."
The ReggaeBoyz were beaten 2-0 by Honduras in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday night, four days after being beaten 3-0 by Mexico at the Azteca.
The back-to-back losses left the 1998 World Cup qualifiers in last place in the four team Group 2 with one point from three games, the same as Canada but with a record of one goal for and six against.
The top two teams from each of three groups advance to the final round, from which three teams advance directly to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
The 55 year-old Simoes was in his second stint as the coach of the Jamaican team after serving between 1994 and 2000. During his first spell, he led them to a spot in the 1998 World Cup in France where they beat Japan 2-1 after losing 3-1 to
Croatia and 5-0 to Argentina in their first-round group.
Simoes returned in January this year, replacing Bora Milutinovic, who was sacked by JFF president Horace Burrell.
Simoes has also coached CONCACAF rivals Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras.
Burrell, the ex-army Captain who heads the JFF told a radio sports talk show Thursday that it was a tough decision to fire his "very good friend".
"I could have allowed things to go on as they are, but honestly would not be performing my duties in the way that it is expected and to push Jamaica's football forward," he said.
Burrell was head of the JFF when Jamaica qualified for the World Cup in France under Simoes and was re-elected to the post of JFF head last November.
He was optimistic that Jamaica, who failed to get past the first round in the last World Cup qualification series, can still advance and has not given up hopes of defying the odds and squeezing into the final round.
"We are not out, first of all, and we have three games at home (remaining in the semi-finals)," he said. "We are going to get re-energised and we are going to hope for good results."
He said he expected to name a successor to Simoes within the coming week.
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Camilo Villegas shot
a final round 68 and won the BMW Golf Championship on Sunday.
Villegas finished at a 15-under 265 total to beat American Dudley Hart by two strokes in the US$7 million event at the Bellerive Country Club.
Ames carded a bogey-free final round 66 to finish at 11-under 269.
Villegas led from the first round en route to his win and US$1.26 million.
He began the final round with a one-shot lead over Jim Furyk, who closed with a level-par 70 to finish joint third with fellow American Anthony Kim.
Ames was steady the first two rounds with scores of 68 and 69, and then reeled off back-to-back 66 scores to secure one of his best finishes this year.
He hit four birdies Sunday en route to his fourth top-five finish this year, having placed third at the Mercedes-Benz Open in January, fifth at The Players Championship in May and fourth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational, also in May.
Ames birdied Sunday at the sixth, eighth, 10th and 17th holes and collected a tidy sum of US$255,500 for his fifth place prize. (CMC)
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Steyn had the consolation
of taking the Test Player of the Year award, while India's one-day
captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the ODI Player of the Year award
.Yuvraj Singh became the inaugural winner of the Twenty20 International Performance of the Year Award in recognition of his amazing six sixes in one over off Stuart Broad during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa last September.
Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lanka's 23-year-old spin star, won the Emerging Player of the Year award. With his mesmerising brand of spin bowling, Mendis has exploded on to the international scene in recent months. In just three Tests against India in July and August, he claimed an amazing 26 wickets at an average of 18.38.
Six countries were represented in the 12-man ICC Test Team of the Year and three players - England captain, Kevin Pietersen and the Sri Lanka pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan - also appeared in the World Test Team of the Year in 2007. Sangakkara and Muralitharan also appeared in the 2006 side as well. Smith was named as captain of the team.
There were also six countries represented in the ICC ODI Team of the Year of which only two - Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar - also appeared in the 2007 side and only one - Brett Lee - made both XIs. Ponting was included in 2006 as well while Andrew Symonds was previously been named in the 2005 team. Ponting is named as captain of the team for the second year running.
Australian umpire, Simon Taufel, was named as Umpire of the Year for the fifth successive time. Taufel, 37, received his votes from the captains of the ten Full Member nations, as well as the eight-man elite panel of ICC match referees. "I'm delighted to win this award but I don't set this as a goal at the start of a season," he said.
England captain Charlotte Edwards, who last night steered her side to a 4-0 one-day win over India, won the Women's Cricketer of the Year award .
Netherlands allrounder, Ryan ten Doeschate, was named as the Associate Player of the Year .
The Sri Lanka team were the recipients of the Spirit of Cricket Award for the second year running. The prize is presented to the team which, in the opinion of the elite panel of ICC umpires and match referees, has best conducted itself on the field within the spirit of the game.
"The past year has been another exciting one for cricket fans around the world in a time that included the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 and plenty of competitive Test and ODI cricket," David Morgan, the ICC president, said. "These players have contributed hugely to our enjoyment. This is the fifth annual ICC Awards night and each year it is gaining in prestige."
ICC Test Team of the Year Graeme Smith (SA, capt), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Mahela Jayawardena (SL), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Jacques Kallis (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL, wk), Brett Lee (Aus), Ryan Sidebottom (Eng), Dale Steyn (SA), Muttiah Muralitharan (SL). 12th man: Stuart Clark (Aus).
ICC ODI Team of the Year Hershelle Gibbs (SA), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Ricky Ponting (Aus, capt), Younis Khan (Pak), Andrew Symonds (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind, wk), Farveez Maharoof (SL), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Brett Lee (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Nathan Bracken (Aus). 12th man: Salman Butt (Pak)
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Campbell-Brown, the reigning world champion, swept to victory in 11.10 seconds ahead of the USA's Marshevet Hooker in 11.19 and Me'Lisa Barber, 11.34.
The fastest woman this year, Torri Edwards, could only muster 11.36 seconds for fourth.
Carter was well-off
his season's best (9.98) in winning the men's equivalent in 10.23
seconds into a headwind of -0.9 m/s, ahead of the USA's Rodney
Martin (10.41) and fellow Jamaican Ainsley Waugh, also in 10.41.
Following a disappointing Olympics where he failed to make the final, Scott threw 20.31m to win his pet event and finish ahead of Belarus' Pavel Lyzhyn, who threw 20.18m.
Meanwhile, Waugh returned 20.77 seconds for second in the men's 200m behind Olympic semi-finalist Christopher Williams, 20.81. The event was won by Mauritius' Stephane Buckland in 20.57.
Olympic 4x400m bronze medallist Shereefa Lloyd was beaten by Russian Tatyana Firova (51.05), finishing second in 51.62 ahead of another Russaian, Tatyana Veshkurova (51.86) in the women's 400m.
Olympic 400m finalist Rosemarie Whyte clocked 52.43 seconds for fifth.
World championships bronze medallist Delloreen Ennis-London was second in the 100m hurdles in 12.70 behind Olympic champion Dawn Harper, 12.65.
Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was third in 12.86. Olympic silver medallist Sally McLellan was fifth in 13.02.
Olympic champion and world record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was slow by his standards in clocking 13.20 seconds to claim the men's 110m hurdles for his third straight win in Zagreb.
He crossed the finish line ahead of Jamaica's Richard Phillips 13.66, while another Olympic finalist, Maurice Wignall, was fifth in 13.75.
"Everything I did for the past few seasons has paid off this year," Robles said afterwards.
Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Blanka Vlasic, in her hometown, returned to victory following her defeat in Brussels last weekend to win the women's high jump, clearing 2.04m.
Defending world champion, Cuban Yipsi Moreno, threw a personal best 76.62m to win the women's hammer throw ahead of Slovakia's Martina Hrasnova.
Her countrywoman Yarelis Barrios threw 64.98m to win the discus throw ahead of Olympic champ Stephanie Brown-Trafton of the United States who threw 62.94m.
Olympic champion Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia was also relegated to second in the men's hammer, throwing 79.07m to Hungary's Krisztian Pars whose throw of 80.04 was 97 centimetres better.
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He was attempting to break his compatriot Usain Bolt's world record of 9.69 seconds, but was guilty of a false start and then clocked 9.82 seconds in another dominant win at the track where he smashed his own world record last year.
He had won his heat an hour and a half earlier in a faster 9.77 seconds.
Powell's MVP Track Club teammates Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker and Shericka Williams all produced wins as the Jamaicans continued to extend their international successes beyond their glorious Olympic showing in Beijing.
Encouraged by his
blistering all-time second fastest ever 9.72 run in Lausanne
last Tuesday, Powell was taking aim at Bolt's mark here. He set his last world record (9.74) on this same track a year ago.
He ran a fluent 9.77 seconds in his heat to defeat fellow Jamaican Ainsley Waugh (10.14) and Britain's Craig Pickering (10.15).
In the final - eager to bolt out of the blocks to a world record - Powell was called for a false start and his eventual run, not as smooth as his run in the heats, finished in 9.82 seconds, disappointing for him considering his target and the fact that he had a following wind of 1.4 metres per second.
Powell's reaction time in the race was a slow 0.195 but he produced a brilliant finish to record his fast time.
"I wanted to run faster in the final but it was not the time for it. I know that I could have run the World record if I had not made the false start," Powell said after his win.
His training partner Michael Frater was second in a near personal best 9.98 seconds, and Frenchman Ronald Pognon was third in 10.10. Waugh got sixth in 10.14.
Kim Collins, the 2003 World Champion, from St Kitts and Nevis, was fourth in his heat in 10.30 and had failed to make the final. Olympic champions Fraser and Walker were solid in their victories.
Fraser, who helped Jamaica win six gold among a national Olympic record 11 medals in Beijing last month, used her trademark early race speed and won the women's 100 metres in 11.06 seconds, repelling a late-race challenge from fellow Jamaican Kerron Stewart (11.11) with American Carmelita Jeter third in 11.12.
Walker steadied herself after almost falling before the homestretch and fought off Britain's Tasha Danvers to win the women's 400-metre hurdles in 55.01 seconds.
Danvers (55.25) and Ukraine's Anastasiya Rabchenyuk (55.39) chased her home.
Shericka Williams advertised her fabulous late season form with a fine win in the women's 200 metres.
A surprise 400-metre silver medallist at the Beijing Olympics last month, Williams stepped down to the shorter event and outgunned Jeter for a narrow win in the half-lap event.
Williams won in 22.50 seconds, edging Jeter (22.52) with Russian Yuliya Chermoshanskaya (22.81) third.
In the men's 200 metres, Zimbabwe's Brian Dzingai won in 20.34 seconds with Antiguan Brendan Christian (20.47), Jamaican Chris Williams (20.47) and Collins (20.61) third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Trinidad and Tobago Ato Stephens (45.90) and Bahamian Michael Mathieu (46.23) were fifth and sixth respectively in the men's 400 that Congo's Gary Kikaya won in 45.10, and Jamaican Isa Phillips (48.85) ran a decent second to South African Louis van Zyl (48.52) in the men's 400-hurdles.
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Thompson expressed satisfaction minutes after Prime Minister Patrick Manning confirmed an exclusive Trinidad and Tobago Guardian story, last month, which said that Thompson was to be rewarded with one million dollars in cash and Unit Trust shares for his success at the Beijing Olympics.
Manning said yesterday
each of the country's Olympic heroes-Richard Thompson, Keston
Bledman, Emmanuel Callender, Aaron Armstrong and Marc Burns-"will
get $250,000 worth of units from the Unit Trust and 500,000 in
cash." Manning then went on to explain how Thompson was to be singled out as the country's newest million-dollar-man.
"We believe that Richard Thompson won two silver medals and he is the million-dollar-man. He will get an additional $250,000 for a total of $1 million from the Government and people of T&T."
The large crowd outside the Eric Williams Financial Building on Lower St Vincent Street in Port-of-Spain erupted in loud cheers and screams of appreciation.
Manning said the Central Bank had been authorised to provide financial advice and counselling to the national heroes.
Manning then advised citizens to "party late tonight, but not too late to be at work tomorrow morning." Manning did not give a public holiday, as requested by the crowd.
Thompson said the team's success at the Olympics was for the love of the sport and not necessarily to be rewarded by anyone.
He admitted, however, that the team appreciated the reward given by the Government.
"We are certainly satisfied with what has been given to us, and we know it will go a long way."
He said the success gave him "the greatest feeling ever in my entire life, winning those two silver medals.
"The greater feeling was the pride of wearing red, white and black (the national colours) and representing T&T at the highest level."
He added that the T&T team hoped to turn the Olympic silver medals into gold at the Caribbean Games next year, and to be the dominant team in the London Olympics in 2012.
He said he hoped the team could bring a "positive vibe in T&T" to help change the prevailing situation of crime and violence in the country.
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The announcement was made Friday night at the TTFF's Centennial Dinner where 220 persons were given special awards for their contribution to the local game over the last century.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter was among the dignitaries at the function at the Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence.
Among the awardees on the night were Jack Warner, recent T&T players Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Leroy De Leon and posthumous honourees Ellis 'Puss' Achong, Conrad 'Savannah' Brathwaite, Gerald 'Gerry' Gomez, and Tyrone 'Tank' De la Bastide, to name a few.
But even before Blatter came to the podium, TTFF president Oliver Camps had already given the audience a taste of things to come when he rolled back the clock through the hundred years of football in T&T.
In his view, the growth of science and technology since the industrial revolution has transformed the world and has fostered the growth and development of football in T&T with a continuous improvement in the quality of players and in the administration and organisation of the game locally and internationally.
The UEFA president and former French midfield maestro, Michel Platini, impressed on the audience the important role that Warner has played in raising the standard of football, not only in T&T but in the CONCACAF region.
His sentiments were echoed by the England Football Association president Lord David Triesman.
Blatter said :"Football was already organised in this country before this country was an independent nation," Blatter noted, adding that T&T have been successful in the past, which is before 1962. However, he insisted that success in terms of football is being realised on a larger scale now.
Blatter pointed to T&T's successful hosting of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2001 as a milestone which he announced will be followed by the hosting of the FIFA Girls Under-17 World Cup in 2010.
"Football is now the most popular movement in the world," Blatter told the gathering.
"260 million people follow the sport and with their families, over one billion people are directly or indirectly touched by this game.
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By Alan Baldwin |
Hours after the jubilant Briton had sprayed the winner's champagne on the podium, stewards ruled he had gained an advantage from cutting a chicane in an all-or-nothing duel with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen three laps from the end.
Hamilton was given a retrospective drive-through penalty, a controversial decision which translated into 25 seconds added to his race time.
That was enough to
demote the 23-year-old to third place, with main title rival
Massa taking his fifth victory of the season and Germany's Nick
Heidfeld promoted to a surprise second for BMW-Sauber. McLaren announced their intention to appeal, although it was not immediately clear whether it would be allowed under the sport's regulations.
A spokesman for the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said it would be up to the sport's International Court of Appeal to decide at a later date.
With five races remaining, and Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix at Monza next up, Hamilton has 76 points to Massa's 74 with BMW-Sauber's Polish driver Robert Kubica third on 58.
World champion Raikkonen, who crashed out on the penultimate lap, slipped to fourth on 57 points with his title hopes as dented as his car.
Ferrari meanwhile stretched their lead over McLaren in the constructors' standings to 12 points.
RAIKKONEN CRASHES
"I have often said that the race is not over until the official results are published and that was the case today," said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.
"This result is obviously very important for our championship hopes."
The stewards' enquiry overshadowed what had been one of Hamilton's best races with his most sensational finish of the season, and many disagreed with the outcome.
"I don't think Hamilton did anything wrong," said Niki Lauda, a former world champion for both Ferrari and McLaren. "He was going on the outside, he let him (Raikkonen) by ... and afterwards he passed him."
Raikkonen, winner of the last three Belgian Grands Prix and chasing his first victory since April, had led from the second lap but Hamilton reeled him in as the skies opened and caused chaos two laps from the end.
Hamilton tried to pass at the Bus Stop chicane, went wide and allowed Raikkonen to get momentarily ahead on the straight before making a clean pass into La Source.
The Briton then slid at the top of the hill, allowing Raikkonen back in front before the Finn in turn slid and handed back the lead. The Finn then spun, narrowly missing traffic and crashing into the barriers.
"It was an experience and a half," said Hamilton before the stewards gave their verdict. "It was just mix and match. I was just praying for rain. I wanted it to come because I knew how to deal with it.
"It was one of the most exciting races of my career. I love having battles ... I was on every limit that I knew possible, and even beyond."
The Briton was not available for comment afterwards nor were team bosses.
Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso was fourth, despite pitting for wet tyres on the penultimate lap, with Germany's Sebastian Vettel fifth for Toro Rosso and Kubica sixth.
France's Sebastien Bourdais considerably enhanced his prospects of staying at Toro Rosso next season with seventh while Mark Webber of Australia took the final point for Red Bull after Germany's Timo Glock also picked up a 25-second penalty for overtaking under a yellow warning flag.
McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, who had started in third place, failed to finish but was listed as 10th after an error-strewn day that also included a drive-through penalty.
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By Brian Homewood |
The United States beat Cuba 1-0 in Havana, their first visit to the Caribbean island for 61 years, with a first-half Clint Dempsey goal.
The third round Group A match took place against the backdrop of a 46-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, imposed after Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and allied the country with the Soviet Union.
However, the U.S. players came out onto the pitch after the match at the rickety Pedro Marrero stadium and applauded the Cuban fans in what coach Bob Bradley said was a spontaneous gesture of appreciation.
"We've been treated very well here and people have been very friendly," he said. "It's been an excellent trip."
Tens of thousands of Mexican fans used their team's game at home to Jamaica to protest against rising crime and a brutal drug war that has killed more than 2 700 people this year.
At least three quarters of the 100 000 crowd at Mexico City's Azteca stadium answered a call by the Mexican Football Federation to dress in white while the team also played in white instead of the usual green.
The protest came a week after an anti-crime rally drew more than 150 000 to the city centre.
LITTLE RESISTANCE
On the pitch, Sven Goran-Eriksson's team encountered little resistance from the Jamaicans, who were due to host the Group B game until Hurricane Gustav swept through the Caribbean.
Andres Guardado opened the scoring in the third minute before Fernando Arce and Jonny Magallon added further goals.
"Maybe the game was easy but there is still much work to do for us to qualify," said Eriksson. "We won with class and personality."
Mexico and the United States both top their groups with six points from two games.
Ramon Nunez scored twice in the second half as Honduras came from behind to beat Canada 2-1 away in the other Group B game, while Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala drew 1-1 in Group A.
Carlos Gallardo scored an injury-time equaliser for Guatemala after Keon Daniel had given the Soca Warriors an 83rd minute lead.
Also Caribbean teams Suriname and Haiti suffered heavy losses in Group 3 of CONCACAF World Cup football qualifying yesterday to damage their hopes for South Africa 2010.
Costa Rica peppered Suriname 7-0 to take control of the group, while El Salvador logged a 5-0 win over Haiti to improve their hopes of making the confederation's semi-final round in qualifying.
The Costa Ricans' second consecutive win boosted their points tally to maximum six points and they lead El Salvador (3), with Haiti and Suriname each having a single point.
At Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, Froylan Ledezma scored twice in the first-half as hosts Costa Rica grabbed an early advantage against Suriname.
Alejandro Alpizar (47th), Armando Alonso (78th), Celso Borges (79th), Alonso Solis (86th), and Brian Ruiz (88th) added second-half goals for Costa Rica to collect their required six points from two home assignments.
Suriname played the entire second with ten men as Rinaldo Lupson drew a second caution from Canadian referee Steven DePiero in the second minute of first-half injury time.
Costa Rica will be on the road Wednesday against the Haitians, while Suriname will entertain El Salvador on the same day in Paramaribo.
El Salvador got three goals from Rodolfo Zelaya en route to their thrashing of 10-man Haiti.
Zelaya struck in the seventh and 24th minutes and added another in the 53rd minute as El Salvador improved to three points and second place in Group C, three behind the Costa Ricans.
El Salvador's assignment became easier when experienced Haitian defender Pierre Bruny was sent off after just 13 minutes.
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Lose 0-3 to merciless Mexicans at the Azteca |
And on the evidence of what was presented to the near capacity (110,000) white-clad, vociferous supporters, the South Americans duly deserved their 3-0 victory in yesterday's CONCACAF Semi-Final round World Cup Qualifying series here at the Estadio Azteca.
The win pushed Mexico to maximum six points from their two games, following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Honduras on August 20. Honduras and Canada were scheduled to face each other at Montreal last night.
Entering yesterday's game, Jamaica and Canada were locked on one point each, following their 1-1 draw in Toronto in their Semi-Final round opener.
Andres Guardado, Fernando Arce and Jonny Magallon found the net yesterday for the home side.
The Mexican supporters agreed to wear white in a gigantic plea for peace in their homeland, after a spate of kidnappings and murders rocked the country.
Their players might have had peace in their hearts, but they displayed no mercy, especially in the first half-hour of the game officiated by American referee Baldomero Toledo, who is said to be Mexican-born.
Unlike the previous game against Honduras when the crowd had to endure 73 minutes before celebrating their first goal, the home side got off to the perfect start when Guardado put them ahead with a curling left-footed free-kick from the right side of the penalty box in the third minute.
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts dove full stretch to his left, but the ball had too much pace, as it nestled into the net, sending the spectators into a frenzy.
It was the start that the Reggae Boyz feared, and the fact that they appeared too tentative when in possession of the ball, didn't help either.
It could have been worse, as before 10 minutes had elapsed, Ricketts' alertness kept his team in the game when he came off his line to smother a grounded cross from the left side destined for the arriving Giovani Dos Santos, after the speedy Mexicans had broken free of the chasing Jamaican defenders.
Ricketts, who gained accolades from Canadian coach Dale Mitchell for his exploits against the North Americans on August 20, came up big again for his team when he backpedalled to tip Fernando Arce's looping shot over the horizontal.
And the giant goalkeeper was at it again on the half- hour mark, bravely palming away a dangerous free-kick from Pavel Pardo. But Arce would return in the 33rd minute to ram home from inside the penalty area, after the Jamaicans failed to adequately deal with the incisive passing by the now marauding Mexicans.
Jamaica, who certainly lacked a step or two in most instances, managed their first shot on goal five minutes from the interval when Ricardo Fuller, who until then appeared anonymous, fired a weak left footed shot which gave goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez no problems.
The Mexicans should have increased their lead in time added in the first half, but Dos Santos, the Tottenham Hopspur striker and an Under-17 FIFA World Cup champion, booted high over the top after being expertly served by a team mate on the penalty spot.
Ricketts continued his good form in the second half when he denied the homeside yet again by sprinting off his line to clear after an unattended Mexican player had received a free-kick well behind the defenders.
But there was only going to be one winner on the night, despite the heroics of Ricketts and the lion-hearted central defender Ian 'Pepe' Goodison, who defied his 35 years and 10 months.
The Mexican added the third and final goal on 63 minutes when central defender Jonny Magallon volleyed home a right-footer from a left-sided corner kick. It was the third consecutive corner by the Mexicans, after the Boyz failed to clear their line.
Moments after the goal, Rudolph Austin tested Sanchez with a firm, low drive, but the goalkeeper parried into the path of Wolfe, who turned his marker before centring for Fuller to head just wide.
Along with Ricketts and Goodison, other players who distinguished themselves were Austin, Andy Williams, Marshall and substitute Wolry Wolfe, and possibly Jermaine Taylor.
But this rendition of the Boyz revealed that the support cast is probably not where it should be in terms of depth. Finally, the inexperience and naivety of Evan Taylor came to the fore, and his replacement after 53 minutes, Keneil Moodie, looked equally out of class.
The Reggae Boyz will depart Mexico early today for Honduras, for their assignment in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday.
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Guatemala scramble late draw |
The "Soca Warriors" dropped a valuable point in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying yesterday when a free-kick goal from Carlos Alonzo deep into injury time earned Guatemala a 1-1 draw at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The "Soca Warriors" had only just taken a 1-0 lead just about eight minutes earlier in the 84th minute through Keon Daniel, who struck from 20 metres, hitting the underside of the crossbar before beating Guatemalan keeper Luis Bruni.
It had looked quite likely that T&T would leave this morning for the United States with full points after Daniel's goal. Guatemala were largely restricted to shots from outside the penalty area, and looked only capable of scoring from the dead ball set-up.
But
with four minutes to work with following an injury to their first-call
keeper Ricardo Foster, the Guatemalans found a way back when
from the spot kick, Alonzo skipped over the ball before beating
T&T keeper Marvin Phillip with a low flick. Earlier, in happier times, T&T produced a polished performance, especially, in the first half, and were looking set to hold onto the lead. It would have marked a triumphant returned to national duty for Sunderland midfielder Dwight Yorke.
At age 37, Yorke has lost some of his pace and polish, but his experience was a valuable asset yesterday as he organised a brilliant first half by the Warriors. The only Caribbean footballer to ever win a European Champions League League medal-in his days at England's big club, Manchester United-Yorke displayed yesterday an ability to still hold his end at CONCACAF level.
Guatemala would have been happy at the half when they held the Soca Warriors goalless. But, only just. T&T had a fast start, and in mere seconds, right back Cyd Gray had the Guatemalans stretched with his overlapping run and dangerous, low cross.
Cornell Glen's raw speed pace was the ingredient which kept the Guatemalans defending. Glen had a couple of half chances, and had the Guatemalans in trouble with a low cross to the edge of the box after springing the offside trap on the right flank on the quarter hour.
Glen's pace also set up a close-range chance for Carlos Edwards, who failed to get a touch from six metres. And after a series of sweet passes, Yorke also went close with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area. T&T did everything good in the first half except score.
Maturana made two changes at the break, bringing on Andre Toussaint for Densill Theobald and Anthony Wolfe for Edwards. But instead of getting the early goal which the coach obviously wanted, the intensity of the game dropped. And as a result, Guatemala started to get more into the match. However, T&T went very close in the 69th minute when Toussaint drifted past a couple tackles and forced a good save from the new Guatemala keeper Bruni who came on for Foster.
Later, came the sheer elation of Daniel's classic goal, and then heartbreak when Guatemala drew level.
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Moves to Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. |
The Islanders will join the Impact de Montreal, both of which play in the United Soccer Leagues' First Division - the level just below Major League Soccer in the American hierarchy.
Jagdeosinghaged 19, pulled the Islanders level in the 87th minute and Taiwo Atieno added the winner two minutes later to the delight of the crowd at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The result advanced Puerto Rico on a 3-2 aggregate, placing it in Group D along with Club Santos Laguna of Mexico, CSD Municipal of Guatemala and Panama's Tauro FC.
Eithel Ariel Rodriguez gave Alajuela an early lead, beating Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette with a well-placed right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area.
The Islanders began to assert themselves as the half wore on, wresting control early in the session. After several chances were thwarted by poor finishing and offsides, Jagdoesingh capitalized to provide the momentum.
The match was threatened earlier in the day due to heavy rain caused by Tropical Storm Hannah, soaking the field and leaving standing water in several places. But an hour's delay enabled the field to drain and the match to start late.
In the first-leg match last week, another T&T international, defender Osei Telesford had netted in a 1-1 draw.
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Havelange was speaking here Thursday morning during a media briefing after a half-hour tour of the multi-purpose Centre of
Excellence
facility named in Havelange's honour. Havelange told the media that he was not surprised to see the high level of the Centre of Excellence because he knew that with it in Warner's hands, the FIFA vice-president would settle for nothing less.
"I am very, very surprised. I shouldn't have been surprised knowing Jack Warner as I have - one excellent president and administrator," said Havelange, who ran FIFA from 1974 to 1998.
"But everything I saw I never expected to have seen here today. This place is a benefit to CONCACAF. It was the passion of Jack Warner that made this. I am very happy to have witnessed the completion of the dream of Jack Warner.
"I don't believe that other confederations can offer what CONCACAF can offer to its members and all this we owe to one person - Jack Warner, his tenacity, his loyalty and also to his wish to offer to the region one centre of this quality.
"I am very happy to have a friend like Jack Warner, a president as he has demonstrated. The years shall go by and we shall always applaud Jack Warner," Havelange added.
Havelange is one of several international football figures who arrived here this week for the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation's centennial celebrations.
Sepp Blatter, president of football's world governing body, along with European football boss Michel Platini, are among the dignitaries here.
Warner expressed appreciation to Havelange for sharing in the TTFF's special celebrations.
"Dr Havelange is 92 years old and the TTFF is 100 years and the best gift he could have given us here is his presence," the CONCACAF boss said.
"I want to express to him our deep thanks and appreciation. I pledge we will always honour his name, the name given to his facility by keeping it all times - The Centre of Excellence."
Warner was also at the Piarco International Airport Thursday evening to welcome FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke and English FA Chairman Lord David Triesman who has a dual role as chairman of the FA's World Cup bid company.
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The match, which was part of the T&T Football Federation's Centennial celebrations, produced many thrills for the fans but they could not enjoy a win by the home team.
Wellington Sanches' free kick in the 33rd minute set the South Americans on their way and Neymar Santos doubled his side's advantage seconds later.
Mota's header in the 73rd minute put Brazil safely in the driver's seat before Marcello Cirino's injury time goal completed the rout.
The Brazilians, as expected, attacked T&T from the outset using skill, speed and creativity to launch raids on the opposing goal.
However, the young Soca Warriors who recently placed second in the Caribbean Football Union Under-17 Championship, met the challenge head-on.
Sanches threatened early on but his tame shot was easily held by T&T custodian John Thomas in the 15th and again in the 17th minute.
Santos also looked dangerous but his ambitious lob from inside the 18-yard box went just over the bar in the 28th minute.
Mota also tested Thomas from the edge of the area three minutes later, but again the young 'keeper was equal to the task.
Sanches, however, finally broke T&T's resistance in the 33rd minute with a glorious free kick. From 20 yards out and eight yards from the right side line, the Brazilian curled the ball up over the wall and down just inside the unguarded near post to give his side the lead.
Still rattled by that stroke of brilliance, T&T allowed Santos to collect a pass inside the penalty area and charge goal-ward.
He neatly skipped over Thomas' desperate dive and slotted home from an acute angle on the left side.
Though T&T regained their concentration and were able to apply some pressure, they failed to score and the half ended 2-0.
The second half was a more open affair, as players began to tire and space opened up.
In the 72nd minute, T&T squandered a good chance to get on the scoresheet but on the ensuing play at the other end of the field, Mota made no mistake with a close-range header after a right side cross from Crystian Carvalho.
In injury time, Marcello put the stamp on his side's dominance with the fourth goal.
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"Who said it was friendly?" Olajuwon replied.
The seven-footers, who met for an NCAA title in 1984 and an NBA championship 10 years later, are both being enshrined in the Hall of Fame, part of a star-studded class that includes Adrian Dantley, former NBA coach Pat Riley, broadcaster Dick Vitale, Detroit Pistons and Shock owner Bill Davidson, and former Immaculata University coach Cathy Rush.
Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas beat Olajuwon and the Houston Cougars in that NCAA championship game. But Olajuwon earned two NBA rings in Houston, the first after beating Ewing's New York Knicks in a classic seven-game series in 1994.
"I could not picture my career without Patrick," Olajuwon said while speaking to reporters hours before the induction ceremony. "We are so intertwined from college. We play alike in so many ways. We are blocking shots, steals, intimidation. When Patrick is at the other end of the floor, you know you are playing against your toughest opponent."
Ewing, who was 12 when he came to the US from Jamaica, said he felt a kinship with Olajuwon, who grew up playing team handball in Nigeria. Both, he said, found their identity while playing basketball in their new country.
"When I played against Hakeem, I definitely wanted to be at my best," Ewing said. "I think he feels the same way. We both know what each other brings to the table - intensity, energy, effort. You would have to put out 110 per cent to play against each other."
Olajuwon led the Houston Cougars to three Final Fours in college. During his NBA career he scored almost 27,000 points, grabbed 13,747 rebounds and blocked 3,830 shots.
Ewing also went to three Final Fours. He scored just under 25,000 points and pulled down 11,607 rebounds in the NBA, becoming the New York Knicks' career leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots and steals. He earned two Olympic gold medals, but never got an NBA title.
"That still bothers me," said Riley, who coached Ewing's 1994 Knicks team.
Riley, after winning championships as a player and assistant, won five more as a coach - four with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, and another with the Miami Heat in 2006. It took that final title, Riley said, to convince a lot of people that he really was a good coach.
"I truly believe that what happened in Miami validated what probably a lot of people felt that I might not be able to do, and that what I did in New York and what I did in LA maybe was because there was just a lot of good players," said Riley, now president of the Heat.
Dantley, who made it in after being a finalist for the Hall of Fame six other times, also spoke of validation yesterday. He played for seven NBA teams during his 15-year career, scoring over 23,000 points. But he never felt that he got the respect he deserved.
"Ever since I've been in high school, I've dominated at every level, but my critics always had something to say about me," Dantley said. "All those other guys, they were supposed to get in, they were talented. But I got in through hard work."
Rush was 149-15 in her seven years as a head coach. She led Immaculata to three consecutive national championships in the 1970s, and is considered a pioneer in women's sports.
"Young girls and young women now have people to look up to, idols that are also in team sports as well as individual sports," she said.
Davidson, whose teams have won three NBA titles and two in the WNBA, enters the Hall of Fame as a contributor. He played a key role in structuring the NBA's salary cap and free agency systems. Davidson was also among the first owners to put NBA teams on private planes and luxury boxes closer to the court in arenas.
Vitale, who gave Olajuwon his nickname "the Dream" also will go in as a contributor. The ESPN colour analyst has spent 30 years becoming the voice of college basketball - extolling the virtues of "PTPers (Prime Time Players), screaming "Awesome baby!" and being passed overhead through student sections across the country.
His biggest lament yesterday was the time limit Hall of Fame officials gave him for his acceptance speech.
"I cannot say hello in five minutes," Vitale said.
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The effects of hurricane related weather have severely hampered preparations at the purpose-built stadium in Broward County, where the matches were planned, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive Dr.Donald Peters said yesterday.
"The backup was to have it in the Caribbean and I've asked my staff my staff to do just that in case it falls through," he stated.
According to Peters, he and the promoters were "having problems" with the proposed dates in November that were undermined following heavy rains in the area associated with hurricanes Gustav and Hannah.
"They still want to do it and have given us alternative dates for next year but this is a problem," Peters said. "This is the hurricane season and perhaps people weren't thinking when they selected the dates initially."
It is the first time any WICB-sanctioned event would have been staged outside the Caribbean.
The cricket culture is strong among the sizeable Caribbean expatriate communities in Florida. Broward County put forward an unsuccessful bid to host a group stage of last year's ICC World Cup and were awarded the 2008 one-day tournament by the WICB after an American company came forward to replace Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) which did not renew its three-year sponsorship agreement.
Since the American sponsor is only interested in backing the tournament if held in Florida, Peters said the WICB was nowtrying to source an alternative.
Plans to include an official United States Cricket Association (USCA) team would also fall through should Broward County be eliminated.
Jamaica won the KFC Cup last year, defeating Trinidad & Tobago by 28 runs in the final under lights at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados.
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Croatian high jumper
Blanka Vlasic missed out on a share of the jackpot after finishing
second behind German Ariane Friedrich, but ahead of Olympic champion
and home favourite Tia Hellebaut who surprisingly finished third.
The 18-year-old Jelimo won the 800 metres in one minute 55.16 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of compatriot Janeth Jepkosgei and third-placed Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica.
Earlier, Bolt powered past fellow Jamaican Powell in the 100 metres to set a new course record time of 9.77 seconds.
Powell, who ran the joint second-fastest 100 of all-time in Lausanne on Tuesday, finished in 9.83 after leading for most of the race until Bolt ran past him in the final 10 metres.
"I am used to chasing him," Bolt told reporters after a contest Powell described as "one of the most exciting ever. I was very excited about this race and knew it would be close".
Nesta Carter made it a Jamaican clean sweep by coming third in 10.07.
HEARTBREAK AND TEARS
There was further heartbreak for Vlasic -- pipped for the gold by Hellebaut at this year's Beijing Games -- when she failed on her final jump at 2.02 metres.
Friedrich and Hellebaut also failed to clear that height but the German won on the countback in one of the biggest shocks of
the night having got over 1.97 on her first jump while Vlasic needed two attempts and Hellebaut three.
In the women's 100 metres, Belgium's European champion Kim Gevaert marked her last ever appearance on home soil when she scorched to victory in 11.25 seconds.
Amid the loudest roar of the night from the 50 000 capacity crowd, Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas finished second and American Me'Lisa Barber was third behind the tearful 30-year-old Gevaert, who will retire at the end of the year.
In the women's 200 metres, Olympic bronze and silver medallist Jamaican Kerron Stewart had to settle for second as American Marshevet Hooker romped to 22.62 seconds, to win the event.
Stewart, who had a successful outing at the Beijing Olympics, clocked 22.76 seconds and was followed home by Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-Mckenzie in 22.79 seconds.
Jamaica's Danny McFarlane missed out on the top spot in the men's 400-metre hurdles when he finished second to United States' Kerron Clement (48.29) in 48.63.
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The Bermuda Football Association (BFA) also said 19-year-old Kris Frick would be banned from domestic competitions for two years. "These bans are effective immediately and reflect the gravity of the circumstances," said acting BFA general secretary Ian Rawlins.
BFA technical director Derek Broadley earlier accused Frick of making a major error of judgment by walking out on his team-mates midway through the Digicel Caribbean Cup tournament which saw Bermuda ousted.
Frick watched Bermuda's 7-0 thrashing of St Maarten/St Martin from the stands after refusing to sit on the bench following the decision to leave him out of the starting line-up again.
Bermuda earlier lost 4-0 to Antigua and Barbuda and bowed out of the tournament after managing only a goalless draw against hosts the Cayman Islands last weekend.
Despite the efforts of a trio of veteran players, who visited his room following the victory to try and talk him around, Frick checked out of the hotel the next morning.
Broadley and goalkeeper coach Vic Bettinelli also spent over an hour speaking with the young defender prior to the match when Frick first voiced his discontent at the way his Cayman trip was mapping out.
"I think Kris made the wrong decision and I've told both him and his father that," said Broadley. "Every player I've ever worked with has been left out of the side at some point. There's a way to do things and I don't think what he did was the right way.
"We must remember Kris is still a very young man and he's made a mistake. There are ways of rectifying his mistake and now he's gone away he may have a think about what he did.
"I think he took the easy option. The longer he leaves it, the harder it will be for people to accept. He's made it difficult for himself now."
It is understood Frick, a club footballer with Somerset, was upset that 17-year-old Roger Lee had been selected to start at right back instead of him.
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HOUSTON, Texas (Reuters), September 6, 2008: Former U.S.
sprinter Marion Jones left a federal prison in Texas yesterday
after serving a six-month sentence for lying to prosecutors about
steroid use that helped her win five medals at the 2000 Sydney
Olympics. Belizean born Jones, 32, left the minimum security facility in San Antonio, Texas, at 08:00 h CDT (1300 GMT), a prison spokeswoman said.
For years, the track star denied using performance-enhancing drugs but in October pleaded guilty to two charges of perjury and was sentenced in January by a federal judge in New York. Jones reported to prison on March 7.
She admitted she had lied to federal investigators in 2003 when she denied knowing that she took the banned substance tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), known as 'the clear', before the 2000 Olympics.
Jones has been stripped of the Olympic medals, three of which were gold, and all of her performances as of September 2000 have been erased from the record books.
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It is goals that matter most in football. But there are stalemates that grip the more analytical patrons in which two well-drilled teams plot, scheme and prod only to cancel each other out. Such encounters are referred to as "a game for the coaches".
Not Wednesday's match, though. It was merely dull.
The locals, coached by ex-Yugoslav youth player Zoran Vranes, are already months into their programme due to their controversial enrollment in the Bmobile Super League. They are not doing badly either-fifth place from 13 teams. But they did not show the benefit of such preparation against El Salvador.
The teenagers in red, white and black acquitted themselves well physically but their ball movement was poor. Even worse, captain Leston Paul's four midfield teammates did not seem interested in the ball unless it was launched forward for them to chase.
The fact that the stretcher bearers were far busier than El Salvadorian custodian Diego Cuollar suggested that the present mode of attack needs work. This is not unexpected. Trinidad and Tobago's qualifying campaign does not officially get underway until next April. Surely, Vranes' squad would be much improved by then.
But, if observers got a peek at his blueprint on Wednesday, it will not possess the style that usually gets the pulse racing in this part of the world.
Paul, who captained the under-17s to the 2007 Junior World Cup, was handpicked by former England star John Barnes as one of the Caribbean's finest young talents. He is a clever passer with a decent turn of pace and difficult to strip of possession.
Vranes, who used a 3-5-2 formation, employed Paul as a deep-lying midfield, similar to the way Leo Beenhakker used Dwight Yorke at the 2006 World Cup. Only Beenhakker was trying to hide Yorke's loss of pace and utilise his experience and tactical know-how.
For Paul, it was like asking a young child to stand still. The former St Mary's College stand-out regularly vacated his post to press for possession in wing back territory while his midfield teammates never came close enough for him to advance in attack through wall passes or a quick exchange of duties.
As the squad's most gifted player-although Bmobile Joe Public's Jamal Gay and the Clico San Juan Jabloteh duo of Robert Primus and Sheldon Bateau are more experienced-Paul might have expected Vranes to build a squad to maximise his best qualities. It did not look that way on Wednesday.
Former Police forward Jamal Clarence used his aerial advantage to send strike partner Trent Lougheed clear in the 31st minute with a flicked header but the latter's effort barely troubled Cuollar. Cuollar was more disturbed by an Akeem Adams cross, four minutes into the second half, but the El Salvador defence tidied up after his fumble.
Trinidad and Tobago did not trouble the opposing goal otherwise.
El Salvador did not offer fireworks either despite enjoying more possession. But they at least created a few possible decisive situations and won two free kicks in dangerous positions. Striker Richard Orollano got the visitors' best chance but his close ranged half volley was kept out instinctively by the legs of substitute goalkeeper Andre Marchand.
In the dying minutes, El Salvador further cheated patrons by time wasting antics near the Trinidad and Tobago corner flag. Both teams could only have improved by their second outing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium after press time last night.
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In a letter sent to the Jamaica Observer bearing Ennis-London's name, the two-time Olympian explained that she never used any banned substance.
The article, co-written by Luis Fernando Llosa and L Jon Wertheim, stated that the magazine obtained documents stating that between June 2006 and February 2007, two shipments of Somatropin (Human Growth Hormone, HGH) and one shipment of Triest (Estrogen) were sent to Ennis-London at a Texas address, while in November 2006 a shipment of Testosterone, Testosterone Aqueous, and Oxandrolone were sent to Adrian Findlay.
Below is the full text of Ennis-London's
reponse.
To my fans, supporters & the media:
In response to the story written in Sports Illustrated, I would
like to clarify the situation once and for all. In May-June 2006,
I experienced a severe female disorder. My local doctor was unable
to find a solution, so I decided to seek alternative advice.
I explored several alternatives that led me to the AAG clinic
in Miami which specialised in this type of disorder.
The doctor, Dr Shabanah, pointed out additional symptoms and
short and long term problems if the bleeding continued. He informed
me that this is common for females in my age group and the best
and safest way to rectify the situation was to follow his protocol.
He recommended several medications to treat the symptoms.
I informed Dr Shabanah that as a professional athlete, I am not
allowed to ingest medication without first examining their ingredients.
He assured me that the ingredients used to formulate this product
are not illegal. I ordered the medication believing that it was
not an illegal substance.
While I was in Europe, my husband received a package and opened
it. He checked the contents of the package and found that one
of the substances prescribed to treat the condition was on the
IAAF prohibited list. My husband immediately disposed of the
package, and contacted the clinic. He informed the clinic that
ingredients in this product were not suitable for a professional
athlete.
In February 2007, an unsolicited package arrived to my address.
Recognising that it was from the same clinic, my husband immediately
contacted the doctor and demanded that the credit card information
be destroyed and ALL mail cease immediately. The doctor agreed,
refunded the credit card and there was no further shipment. The
second package was never opened but immediately disposed of.
I have never laid eyes on either package's contents.
I would like to stress that in nine years as a professional athlete
I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs. I have been tested
in and out of competition hundreds of times and have a 100 per
cent clean record.
I want to say many thanks to all those who took the time to contact
me or sent messages with your best wishes, family, friends and
fans. I have found much comfort in your calls.
--Delloreen Ennis-London
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Caribbean Motor Racing Championship |
Stuart Williams being pursued by Guyana's racing driver Andrew King with Barbados's Stuart Maloney in close pursuit at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados during the second leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships.
Stuart Williams being pursued by Guyana's racing driver Andrew King with Barbados's Stuart Maloney in close pursuit at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados during the second leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships.
The event which was held at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados saw the Barbadians stealing the show.
The championship which was contested in six races, three at Dover and three at Bushy Park, saw the Guyana team coming away with only one second place finish by the three drivers.
In the first event, Jamaica's David Summerbell in his Mitsubishi drove to a first place finish closely followed by countryman Douglas Gore with Guyana's Andrew King finishing a creditable third.
In the second race the results were the same with Summerbell, Gore and King coming first, second and third respectively.
In the third race, Summerbell and Gore's vehicles developed engine trouble but Barbados' Mark Maloney in his Mazda, stole a close race from Andrew King who finished second.
The other two drivers, Kevin Jeffrey and Shawn King did not take part in the races.
In the second set of races (three) Stuart Maloney of Barbados proved his mettle.
After not participating in the earlier races Stuart Maloney drove away with all three of the events to finish with a maximum of thirty points.
His
father Douglas Maloney placed second in the second and third
races while Stuart Williams placed second in the first race.The championships saw the Guyanese trio only claiming seven points among them with King, who placed fifth in the final race, able to secure four points.
Stuart Maloney was left to rue his luck as despite recording three wins, his 30 points saw him placing second in the points' standings.
His father Douglas, who drove in all six races, finished with 31 points just a point ahead to take the day's crown. Jamaican Douglas Gore, who also drove in all the races and began well with two second place finishes, jostled his way to 25 points and the third position.
At the completion of the second round, Barbados are on 82 points, Jamaica 73 and Guyana 27.
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The match was in preparation for Saturday's World Cup qualifier versus Guatemala. And for or the record, T&T came away with a dull 3-0 victory, Carlos Edwards ( 60th ), Cornell Glen (62nd) and Dennis Lawrence getting the goals.
The promise yesterday was that for a mere $50, those who couldn't afford to watch Saturday's match would at least get to see a few of the senior "Soca Warriors" in action. Instead, Colombian head-coach Francisco Maturana rested most of Saturday's likely starters in the first half, including Dwight Yorke, Edwards, Lawrence, and Glen. Yorke, in shorts and with a white towel around his neck, was never going to play and relaxed in the stands. But, Trinidadians are an intelligent lot, and only about 500 or so fell for the "dummy".
So what was the purpose of the match? Well, for young Toronto FC defender Julius James, it presented an opportunity to show coach Maturana what he has. Swansea City striker Jason Scotland has also admitted to being a little short on match-fitness , and he was one of the few foreign-based players to get a start. At the end of it all though, it is unlikely that Maturana will be making many changes to his regular line-up.
Last night, T&T controlled the action against a Guyana team that was also missing several regulars.
Scotland had T&T's first chance in the 27th minute, but under pressure from defender Walter Moore, hit straight at keeper Ronson Williams from close up. Moments later, Caledonia AIA wide man Gyasi Joyce also put the ball wide from a short distance away. But despite territorial possession, T&T did not manage a menacing shot on goal in the first half.
Maturana made wholesale changes at the start of the second half, bringing on goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, Lawrence, Edwards, Gray, Glen and Densill Theobald. Glen almost made some immediate inroads, stealing the ball in midfield, and almost chipping the Guyana keeper from 30 metres in the 52nd minute. But, it was Edwards who finally gave the home side the lead in the 60th minute, mainly through a sizeable deflection off defender Moore which took his tame 20metre shot past the Guyana keeper.
Glen got T&T's second goal two minutes later, collecting Clyde Leon's straight pass behind the defenders and striking a stiff, low shot into the net to make it 2-0.
Afterwards, Guyana collapsed defensively, and Edwards raced clear a minute later. But, a heavy touch wasted the chance, and when attempting to use theatrics to win a penalty, Edwards was given a yellow card by referee Neil Brizan. Glen later provided Edwards with a good cross which was volleyed onto the body of the Guyanese keeper, who later also brought off a terrific save from Makan Hislop's header.
Phillip had little to do in the T&T goal however, just having to race out once to clear the ball. Glen's pace then won T&T a penalty after he was bundled over in the 89th minute. And to emphasise how non-competitive the match was, central defender Lawrence was allowed to convert the penalty.
Yesterday's dress rehearsal was easy enough, but served as nothing more than a confidence booster. Many left feeling that the Joe Public team-who were watching the match after their 4-0 victory over the New England Revolution - might have provided as much, if not better opposition.
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....Richardson breaches New England Revs defence |
Playing the second-leg fixture at the Rev's home Gillette Stadium, Joe Public uncorked the Caribbean's best ever performance against a USA team in the Champions' League and emerged 6-1 aggregate winners for a spot in the play-off group phase of the championship.
With the win, Joe Public became the first Caribbean club in the history of Concacaf's club championship to eliminate a USA side.
Joe Public had won the first leg 2-1 at home last week when Richardson also got one of the goals.
Richardson scored twice in the first half, set up Jamaican Roen Nelson to make it 3-0 soon after the break, and then hit the net again nine minutes from the end.
He picked up his first goal on Tuesday night when Jamaican Wolry Wolfe placed a piercing pass through the middle for Richardson to collect.
Hustled by defenders to his left and right, Richardson adeptly managed to place an accurate side-footed shot past goalkeeper Matt Reis.
The NE Revolution, one of the leading teams in the current US Major League Soccer (MLS) season but without a few of their regulars through injury, tried to fight back and went close in the 36th minute through star midfielder Shalrie Joseph, of Grenada.
Joseph got behind the Joe Public defence on the right and hit the ball across the goal but no one was there to finish.
Richardson delivered another major setback to the Revs when he scored again on the stroke of halftime.
He dribbled past defender Gabriel Badilla inside the box toward the byline on the right and as Reis tried to cover the angle for a cross, Richardson - from an acute angle - blasted a right-footer high past him on the near post.
Three minutes into the second half, Richardson's skill on the ball took him into the box in a threatening position.
But as he was being tackled for the ball, decided to pass the ball back to the top of the box for the onrushing Nelson to stroke a side-footed shot past Reis.
Richardson sealed his scoring show with a wonderful goal in the 81st minute.
After a neat passing exchange with Silan Span, he blasted a left-footer from just outside the area, beating Reis on his far post.
The Revolution finished with ten men after defender Jay Heaps drew a second yellow card in the 90th minute for a reckless tackle.
Joe Public will now contest Group C along with Mexico's Atlante FC, CD Olimpia of Honduras and Canada's Impact de Montreal.
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PADUA,
Italy, September 4, 2008: Olympic sprint relay gold medallist
Michael Frater led a Jamaican trio of winmers at Saturday's Meeting
Citta di Padova - EA meeting in the northern Italian city of
Padua. Sprinter Ainsley Waugh and veteran hurdler Danny McFarlane (see pic) also landed top podium positions in the windy conditions.
Frater, a finallist at the just completed Beijing Olympic Games who also became the newest member of the Jamaican sub-10 seconds elite group at the same event, clocked 10.28 seconds in a -1.5 m/s headwind to take the men's 100-metres.
The 25-year-old recovered well from a shaky start to see off the challenges of Italian Jacques Riparelli, second in 10.41secs and another Jamaican Ainsley Waugh, third, at 10.44. Barbados' Andrew Hinds posted 10.54 for fourth place.
Waugh returned later to cop the men's 200m in 20.78secs, pushed back by a -0.3 headwind wind.
Former World silver medallist Chris Williams of Jamaica followed home in 20.93, with Brazilian Sandro Viana rounding off the top three in 20.97.
Jamaica mapped their third win of the meeting when former Olympic silver medallist McFarlane hurdled home first in the men's 400m hurdles in a patient 49.36secs.
McFarlane, who just missed out at winning a medal in Beijing recently defeated Belize's Jonathan Williams, 50.46, for second, just ahead of American James Carter, who ran 50.51 for third.
In field event actions, Cuba's Misleidis González heaved 19.88m for second in the women's Shot Put, while Jamaica's Dorian Scott finished third in the men's equivalent after throwing 19.73m.
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T&T knocked off El Salvador 3-1 in a friendly in mid-August and then toppled the Cubans also 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier on August 20.
Cuba, the CFU's No.1 team for July and August, dipped 12 places on FIFA's latest rankings list -- released Wednesday -- to 92nd while T&T jumped 12 spots to 80th and took over as the region's top team.
T&T's Soca Warriors had been No.1 in the CFU for four consecutive months from March to June, but gave way to Cuba -- in the summer months -- after a shock loss to Bermuda in a first-leg World Cup qualifier.
Suriname retained the No.2 spot in the region with a FIFA rating of 84th, and the Cubans are now down to third, followed by Jamaica (105th), with Guyana fifth in the CFU with a world rating of 112th.
The CFU's top ten is completed by Haiti (117th), Antigua & Barbuda (122nd), Bermuda (125th), and Barbados (134th), with Grenada (139th) in 10th position.
Mexico and the USA maintained their clear positions as dominant teams in CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.
Ranked 24th in the world, the Mexicans remain No.1 in CONCACAF ahead of the USA, who are 28th.
Honduras stay third in the confederation at No.60 on the FIFA list.
Costa Rica, 73rd in the world, are fourth in CONCACAF, ahead of T&T, Canada (81st), Suriname, Cuba, Panama (96th) and Guatemala (99th).
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are in an unfamiliar position outside CONCACAF's top ten, showing up as 11th in the current ratings. Among the world's top teams, new European champions Spain retain the No.1 spot, stalked by Italy and Germany, with the Netherlands fourth and Croatia fifth and Brazil sixth.
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Pay the Man, an even-money favourite in a field of nine starters, won the US$75,000 race over a mile and an eighth by eight lengths, in a time of one minute 51.32 seconds.
Leading from the start to the end, Pay the Man became the first Ohio-bred to win three stakes races in 2008.
Her stablemate Pyrite Gem (2-1) was second.
Pay The Man also won last year's renewal of the DeBartolo.
"This is a classy filly," said Ramgeet, her regular rider.
"She just goes to the front and stays there," added the three-time Jamaica champion jockey.
Pay the Man has won all three of her starts in Ohio this year at Thistledown. She began with a score in the May 2 Angenora, then added the June 21 Petro Memorial.
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Maragh, 23, landed the mile and an eighth Loudonville Stakes and the 1 3/8th-mile Glens Falls Stakes and secured his top 10 spot in the riders' championship race.
He finished the 36-day meet with 19 wins to place joint seventh in the title race, won by Alan Garcia (39).
Maragh landed the mile and an eighth US$81,750 Loudonville Stakes astride the six-year-old gelding Tommasi in one minute 50.97 seconds.
After stalking the front-running 4-1 shot Johnie Bye Night for most of the trip, Maragh roused the 7-1 bet for a winning run entering the homestretch and pulled clear to win by three lengths.
Maragh also scored in the US$108,900 Glens Falls Stakes with the 3-1 second favourite Hostess.
Coming from behind when the six-horse field straightened for the stretch run, Hostess accelerated impressively under Maragh and snatched victory by a neck over top jockey Edgar Prado with Palmilla (6-1).
Hostess covered the 1 3/8th-mile trip in an inner-turf course record 2:11.66.
Maragh was denied a third stakes win when his mount in the US$250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes, Cribnote (11-2), finished second to the 9-1 winner Vineyard Haven under Garcia.
Vineyard Haven won by 2 1/4 lengths, covering the seven-furlong trip in 1:23.40.
Top Saratoga Jockeys
1 Alan Garcia 39 wins
2 John Velazquez 36
3 Edgar Prado 32
4 Eibar Coa 30
5 Ramon Dominguez 27
6 Cornelio Velasquez 24
7 Rajiv Maragh 19
7 Julien Leparoux 19
9 Javier Castellano 16
9 Kent Desormeaux 16
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American Walter Dix was a distant second yesterday, returning a time of 9.92 seconds. He finished ahead of Jamaicans Nesta Carter (9.98) and Michael Frater (10.04).
T&T's 2008 Olympic Games men's 100m silver medallist Richard Thompson was seventh in 10.21 seconds.
Another T&T athlete, Ato Stephens, clocked 45.74 seconds to finish sixth in the men's 400m. The race was won by Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, the American quarter-miler completing his lap of the track in 43.98 seconds. Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist Angelo Taylor was second in yesterday's one-lap race in 44.38, while third spot was copped by Congo's Gary Kikaya (45.01).
Bolt made light work of the opposition in the Athletissima 2008 200m. The 22-year-old sprint star stopped the clock at 19.63 seconds. Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles and American Wallace Spearmon were second and third, respectively, clocking 20.24 and 20.54.
The first three crossed the line in the same places as in Beijing, where Martina and Spearmon were both disqualified for running out of lane.
Powell's 9.72 seconds
100m clocking was a personal best by two-hundredths of a second
and was one-tenth faster than his season's best, run in Monaco
before his relative loss of form on the Olympic stage where he
finished fifth. "I'm very happy," Powell said. "It's a bit late. But I'm very happy after all that I've been through this year."
Bolt praised his fellow Jamaican whose world record, set at 9.74, he took in May.
"He (Asafa) did well tonight and I congratulate him," said Bolt, who ran 30 minutes after Powell electrified the Lausanne crowd. "I guess he's doing pretty well now."
"Usain has always had a lot of respect for me," Powell said. "So if I go out there and I run fast, it's not any surprise."
Powell got a fast start and was quickly clear of a field that included six Olympic 100m finalists. Running hard to the line, he looked intently at the clock.
Powell was on the podium receiving his prize and a long, loud ovation from the crowd of 14,000 while Bolt was preparing to run his race.
The 22-year-old Jamaican blew past American Shawn Crawford-the Olympic silver medallist in the lane outside him-on the bend and drew clear before straightening up in his stride for the final 15 metres.
"I'm tired," Bolt explained. "It's been a long season, so I'm just trying to get through the season."
At the Beijing Olympics, Bolt grabbed 200m gold in a world record time of 19.30 seconds to complete the men's sprint double. He then teamed up with Carter, Frater and Powell for 4x100m gold, again with a world record run, the Jamaican quartet clocking 37.10.
Jamaica's sprinting dominance at the Athletissima 2008 extended to the women.
Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser confirmed Beijing form with a winning time of 11.03 seconds, three-hundredths ahead of her Jamaica teammate Kerron Stewart, who had taken silver at the Olympics. Marshevet Hooker of the United States was third in 11.09.
Delloreen Ennis-London, fifth in the women's 100m hurdles in Beijing, overturned that result with victory in 12.60 seconds, three-hundredths ahead of American gold medallist Dawn Harper. LoLo Jones of the US, who seemed sure to win the Olympic title before falling near the line, was fourth.
Yet another Jamaican, Olympic champion Melaine Walker posted one of her quickest times this year as she clocked 53.73 seconds for an easy win in the women's 400m hurdles. Walker was chased by Poland's Anna Jesien (54.76) and Britain's Tasha Danvers (54.79) in a repeat top-three placing of Sunday's British Grand Prix.
Dayron Robles of Cuba had talked of adding a world record in Lausanne to his Olympic gold medal but suffered a surprising defeat in the men's 110m hurdles.
David Oliver of the US won in 13.03 as Robles struck two of the last three barriers, sending the last one crashing.
"He's beaten me three times this year. I've beaten him twice," Oliver said. "Always I was capable of running well. When you come out here and perform, that's the big thing."
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In a fluctuating match at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, the Antiguans led in the first half, but were forced to come from behind after the break after the short-staffed French side amazingly hit two unanswered goals past them.
Hosts Cayman Islands assured themselves of a spot in the next round when they held Bermuda to a 0-0 draw to clinch second spot in the group.
Group leaders Antigua and Barbuda took 44 minutes to score against bottom of the table St Martin and only earned that advantage a minute before half-time through good work from Jamie Thomas.
The forward found himself in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Jean-Luc Marconnet, rounded him and scored into an empty net.
St Martin tied the game on 53 minutes when Markenson Pierre met a cross from Stanislas Adams and scored from close range. Antigua and Barbuda's job then appeared to become easier when the St Martin defender Elvis Fleming was sent off for a reckless challenge in the 55th minute.
But against the odds, St Martin went 2-1 up just three minutes later when Pierre netted a fine goal, blasting a low shot to the far post past Javid Joseph in the Antiguan goal.
Antigua and Barbuda made it 2-2 in the 68th minute when Thomas smashed a deflected shot into the goal and the Leeward Islanders snatched the victory a minute before the finish through Roy Gregory.
The evening's second game left Carl Brown celebrating, the former Jamaica National coach - now in charge of the Cayman Islands - guiding the underdogs to a goal-less draw and the point they needed to advance.
Antigua and Barbuda topped the group with seven points, followed by the Cayman Islands (five) and Bermuda (four). St Martin finished on zero points.
Antigua & Barbuda will be joined by Group A champions Netherlands Antilles, Group B winners Guyana, and the two other victors from the groups in St Kitts & Nevis (Group D) and in Martinique (Group E) later this month, along with the Cayman Islands - and three other best second-placed teams - in the second stage of the Digicel Caribbean Championship, a qualifier for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The second stage of the tournament will be composed of three groups hosted by Guadeloupe, Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago from October 11 to November 9.
The eight-team finals are scheduled for Jamaica from December 1-14.
The champions will earn a first prize of US$120,000. The runners-up pocket US$70,000, while US$50,000 goes to the third-placed team and US$30,000 for fourth position.
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The T&T team, represented by 23 athletes, had the distinction of winning more medals than any other national team attending the championships.
Next International event for T&T masters will be the World Games in London, England in 2009.
On account of the sterling performances over the weekend in Florida, T&T has been offered the privelege of hosting the 24th NACAC Regional Track and Field Championships in 2010.
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By Nelson King |
In front of an effervescent crowd at the Jefferson High School Stadium, celebrated a fine win and also joined St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in winning the Cup for a record fifth time.
The Reggae Boyz had captured the title in 2001 when they beat Grenada 3-2 in the final. SVG won the Cup in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2000.
"I feel well excited right now - setting this record and setting some standard so this competition can improve in years to come," said Arthur 'Jetty' Mikes, the Jamaican coach, in a CMC Sports interview.
Mikes attributed his team's success to discipline and technical ability. St Kitts and Nevis gave their all in a robust duel but the Jamaicans were too strong.
Jamaica got their winning goal on 23 minutes when a long pass -- from the right flank -- by Reggae Boyz national Irvino English found the head of Powell, who made no mistake in putting the ball beyond the grasp of the St Kitts and Nevis goalkeeper Akil Byron.
Jamaican goalkeeper Maurice Evans was spectacular in denying the Kittitians' offence and was a standout in his team's triumph.
"We did not execute as well as we should have," said Larry John, the St Kitts and Nevis head coach.
"They capitalised on the chance they had. I think their goalkeeper was pretty outstanding. He really put on lot of pressure on us."
Winning coach Mikes applauded the Kittitians for a "good fight."
"I have to commend St Kitts and Nevis because they've been knocking on the doors over the years - young team coming up," he said.
"So, I have to give them good credit to reach this far," he added.
On their way to the Cup title, the New York Reggae Boyz beat Barbados 4-0, drew with Columbia 1-1, swamped Dominica 8-1, and drew with Antigua and Barbuda 1-1 in the preliminary round.
They then drew with Haiti 2-2 in the quarterfinal, and beat SVG 1-0 in the semis.
SVG took the third spot in the championship when a full Haitian squad failed to show up for Sunday's encounter and forfeited the game.
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100 percent record in Group C of the Digicel Caribbean Championships.
Separated by only one goal in goal difference, Cayman and Antigua & Barbuda knew that a loss could spell a category 4 disaster to either of their aspirations at qualifying atop the Group C standings in the Digicel Caribbean Championship.
So it came as little surprise that both teams started tentatively in the opening moments of the game, with measured exchan
ges and neither team over committing in attack. Midfield gridlock aptly describes the opening 15 minutes of play, with neitherteam able to maintain possession.
The home crowd got a scare after quarter of an hour when Ireland-based replacement goalkeeper, Tuda Murphy (one of severalwholesale changes to the starting lineup), almost got embarrassed trying to claim a loose ball he had no hope of getting. Mario Carter and Calvin Jefford would show glimpses of their ability at the other end when Carter looped a pass to Jefford who had found a pocket of space on the edge of the Antigua & Barbuda box only for Jefford to attempt an audacious lob of the keeper from the penalty spot, that only just failed to get up and down in time.
Buoyed by the home support of the "Caymaniacs", the Reds settled fastest and held the edge in possession and attacking opportunities in the opening 15 minutes. However the hero of their last outing, Jefford, was definitely scouted by the Antiguans who allowed him absolutely no time to settle in possession, receiving special attention from both big center backs. But that didn't stop him from nearly breaking the deadlock following a breakdown in the basics with a tame back-pass by the A&B's. Antigua & Barbuda are certainly the most physically imposing squad within DCC's Group C, and right on cue they began to impose themselves on Cayman. Firstly with a powerhouse drive from 25 yards by Ranja Christian that had Tuda Murphy at his acrobatic best to parry it wide with his outstretched left hand for a corner.
Having scored twice in his first fixture, Jamie Thomas was a real cause for concern for the Cayman Islands, who man marked the speedy striker into mostly dead end runs. But in minute 25 it was Thomas that was the catalyst for the best attack of the game when he managed to draw Tuda Murphy out of his goal, and fashion a cross that was met by a powerful header, that was eventually caught by Murphy who had somehow scrambled back into position.
As the first half progressed, it was Antigua & Barbuda who grew in confidence, testing Tuda on several occasions to see if his keeping style was simply unconventional or truly eccentric. They got an answer in minute 32 when Ranja Christian bulldozed his way through Tuda, who hadn't collected cleanly from a square from the right, despite brave attempts to clear it off the line by the defenders, Christian would not be denied.
At this stage, Antigua & Barbuda looked the more focused, and executed their tactics with more precision as the half began to wane, however, they were almost caught napping at the back when Cayman put together their best attacking move of the half in minute 43, following a sequence with no fewer than 6 passes, Leighton Elliot could only manage a tame shot that trickled into the arms of a well positioned Javid Joseph.
At the break it seemed that Cayman could only muster a diluted display post-Gustav, disappointing many in the stands who had come out just hours after the storm had passed, looking for a boost to their spirits. But those thoughts were soon displaced when a reinvigorating team talk by Coach Carl Brown had the Caymanians off to an improved start in the second half.
Cayman began the second half with the wind to their backs, and got into the thick of things early on with a neat overlapping run by half time substitute Carson Fagan who, with his very first touches, tested Joseph at his near post.
The introduction of Fagan seemed a master stroke by Carl Brown, as his pace and confidence began to seep into the play of his teammates as well. It was Fagan's run that earned Cayman a free kick near the goal line on the edge of the box. The resulting set piece literally only needed a touch for it to enter the net, however it never received it and the score remained 1-0 to Antigua & Barbuda.
With Fagan flying down the flanks, the Caymanians were galvanized in attack, winning three consecutive corners and getting a shot off each time. He then earned another free-kick just on the edge of the area and Mario Carter positioned to take it. Just as he had placed the ball, the crowd began to chant "Let's go Cayman, Let's go!!" for the first time in the game. As the ball floated high to the far post, it was O'neill Taylor rising head and shoulders above the defenders to plant a powerful low header that somehow squeezed under Javid Joseph and squirted into the net to send the crowd into raptures for the role they played in that crucial strike, and the role that strike could play in this crucial fixture. While the stadium may have kept its roof in spite of Gustav, it was almost torn off by the rowdy Caymanian crowd when Jefford attempted a bicycle kick in the box for the winner. Despite three consecutive corners in the closing moments of extra time, Cayman were unable to breach the backline just one last time before the final whistle blew. Final score 1-1 with neither Cayman nor Antigua & Barbuda any closer to claiming the top spot in Group C of The Digicel Championship as their own.
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LONDON,
England (Reuters), Sept. 1, 2008: Olympic 400-metre hurdles
champion Melaine Walker and sprinter Asafa Powell logged Jamaican
victories at the Aviva British Grand Prix track and field meet
yesterday. In rainy conditions at Gateshead, Powell sped to an easy win in the men's 100 metres in 9.87 seconds, and Walker stepped away from her rivals for a very solid victory win in 54.51 seconds.
Walker, responsible for one of six gold medals for Jamaica at the recent Beijing Olympics in China, was unchallenged as she came home almost a full second in front of Poland's Anna Jesien (55.35). Britain's Tasha Danvers (55.61) was third.
"Heat in Beijing, rain in Gateshead, it doesn't bother me at all," said Walker.
"It was just good to win," she added.
Meanwhile, Powell shrugged off his disappoi
"It would have been different in the Olympics if I had run like this. But the past is the past and this is the present," Powell told reporters after his win.
He too was untested as his Jamaican training partner Nesta Carter (10.13) and Trinidad and Tobago's Marc Burns (10.16) chased him home.
Kim Collins, of St Kitts and Nevis, was fourth in 10.23 seconds.
Collins also raced in the 200 metres and placed sixth in 20.68 seconds, as reigning World Champion Tyson Gay won in 20.26 seconds, ahead of fellow American Wallace Spearmon (20.41) and Ireland's Paul Hession (20.61).
Antiguan Brendan Christian was fifth in 20.65 seconds.
Jamaica's Olympic 100-metre champion Shelly-Ann Fraser was beaten into second spot by American Lauryn Williams, who went on to cop the sprint double.
Williams (11.24) edged Fraser (11.29) in the 100 metres, in which Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (11.42) and Jamaican Sherone Simpson (11.67) placed third and eighth, respectively.
"It's a bit difficult to come down off the high of the Olympics and I'm still feeling a little tired," said Fraser.
"I'd have loved to have won, but it just wasn't to be today," she added.
Williams clocked 22.65 in her 200-metre win, chased by Ferguson-McKenzie (22.73) and Jamaican Olympic 400-metre silver medallist Shericka Williams (22.80).
There were a few other top three results for Caribbean athletes at the meet.
T&T's Ato Stephens (46.09) placed third in the men's 400 metres that Britain's Martyn Rooney (45.35) won, and Jamaican Markino Buckley clocked 50.04 in the men's 400 hurdles, behind Poland's Marek Plawgo (49.07) and American Bershawn Jackson (49.11).
Grenada's Randy Lewis placed second in the men's triple jump at 16.51 metres, as Brazilian Jadel Gregorio emerged a huge winner at 17.13 metres.
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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, September 1, 2008: Having been torn apart 4-0 vs. Antigua and Barbuda in their first Group C fixture, the battling Bermudans gained entrance to seventh heaven, with a tidal wave of goals against a shell-shocked St. Martin.
Although Grand Cayman narrowly escaped the brunt of Hurricane Gustav, the storms after effects were still being felt down at pitch level, with gusty winds and water collecting on the field's surface courtesy of a brief shower prior to Kickoff.
Within minutes of play it became clear that both teams would have to adapt their game to suit the conditions; with St Martin playing a high line for the offside trap, to counter Bermudas irresistible pace upfront. But despite the ploy, the French collectivity found themselves pinned back in their own half for extended periods.
It would be the Bermudans that would make the first forays into their opponents final third, hydroplaning their way into positions that disturbed the French quartet at the back. However they were unable to trouble the keeper until minute 15 when a back heeled return pass from the sprightly Damon Ming was skimmed into the box only to have the striker finish like he was wearing flippers.
But Bermuda remained patient, with neat short passes. A quick one-two between John Nusum and Ming "the merciless" on the edge of the 18 yard box almost resulted in a goal, but instead ended just wide of the target.
With chances piling upon chances, Bermudas frustration at not finding the net prompted an impromptu switch of position between wingers Damon Ming and Reginald Lambe. Literally two minutes after the switch had been made the desired result was found, when Ming's cross was at first missed completely by Stephen Astwood, but sat up nicely for Reginald Lambe to start the slaughter, with a right footed tap in from point blank range.
Once goal number one had been scored the proverbial floodgates opened as Bermuda upped the ante just three minutes later in minute 25, with a reversal of the previous goal, this time the finished supplied by Ming following a kosher delivery by Lambe, the score now 2-0.
Moments later, collective sighs of disappointment reverberated from the grandstand when Lambe released Jemieko Jenning with a pass that bisected the midfield; marooned the keeper and left Jennings man against post - with the post coming out on top.
That disappointment was soon forgotten though, as on the stroke of halftime Lambe capped an exceptional first half performance with an alert individual play, that saw him intercept an errant pass, accelerate around the flapping Marconnet and tickle the twine with an easy 3rd goal for Bermuda.
Bermuda could easily have lead 5-0 at the break, and were looking to make up for missed opportunities in the second half. Again Lambe lead the charge and was anything but meek in his onslaught. With pace and persistence he dispossessed Jerome Beausol on the edge of the area, and then bundled the fourth goal into the back of the net whilst sliding on his chest, with the St. Martin defenders lobbying the linesman in vain to raise his neon checkered flag.
His hat-trick now in the bag, the 17-year old Lambe, who had never scored for Bermuda in his previous seven international appearances, was put into a more central strikers position and was involved in the 5th goal as well - feeding Jason Davies who released Antonio Lowe to a simple finish past a dejected Marconnet in goal.
Goal six fell like dominoes. Left all alone, Reginald Lambe chopped the keeper, and followed with another tap in to make it half a dozen for the high flying Bermudans in the 83rd minute.
With literally seconds remaining in the match, 16-year old substitute Casey Castle crowned a majestic display with a regal run; shuffling through several challenges to again poke it past the keeper to take the Bermudans to seventh heaven, mathematically eliminating St Martin who had conceded 10 goals in 2 games, and 3 crucial points in their second fixture of Group C in the Digicel Caribbean Championships.