Combined Stars new Old Madrid Masters Champs

Combined Stars of Tortola take the 2015 Old Madrid Masters Football Tournament championship title. Photo: Provided

Combined Stars of Tortola take the 2015 Old Madrid Masters Football Tournament championship title. Photo: Provided

The 2015 Old Madrid Masters Football Tournament concluded on Sunday, October 18 with Combined Stars of Tortola capturing the champions title for the first time in their four-year quest, defeating F.O.V Masters from Antigua 5 – 2 in the final played at Greenland playing field.

In the qualifying group matches played on Saturday October 17, Retroactive of St Croix were narrowly defeated by F.O.V Masters of Antigua 3-2. Colin Edwards scored two goals and Stenroy Challenger one, whilst Keith Cornelius scored the two goals for Retroactive.

St Martin Veterans defeated Combined Stars 3-1 with goals coming from Andrew Denis, Raymond Leir, and Gumbo Pierre of St Martin. Rohan Lennon scored the lone goal for Combined Stars.

Old Madrid FC defeated Retroactive 5-0 with 2 goals each from Dion Clarke and Kenmore Simmons Peters, and one from Gregory Grant.

Combined Stars then came back from their earlier loss to St Martin and defeated Virgin Gorda 3-1 to give them hope for a semi-final spot. Anthony Bramble opened the scoring with a well placed header, followed up with goals from Rohan Lennon and David Hilton. Fredrick Mars scored the lone goal for Virgin Gorda.

Also, Old Madrid took an early lead against F.O.V Masters when Sheldon Harry scrambled in a loose ball to give them a one goal lead. F.O.V Masters capitalised on a lapse in concentration by Hanif James in Old Madrid goal and scored from a free kick. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

In the final group match, Virgin Gorda went down to St Martin Veterans 5-0 with 3 goals from Andrew Denis, and one each from Gumbo Pierre and Brad Lake.
Old Madrid emerged as winners of group one with a superior goal difference over FOV Masters. Both teams qualified for the semi-finals.

St Martin Veterans were winners of group two with Combined Stars as runners up, qualifying both teams for the semi-finals.

In the first semi-final match, Old Madrid was defeated by Combined Stars on a penalty shootout, after the match ended in a nil all draw. Old Madrid squandered an early penalty when Kenmore Peters saw his shot striking the upright of the goal.

Combine Stars were forced to play with 10 men after goal keeper Monty Butler was ejected from the match for a professional foul but held on to take the match into a penalty shootout defeating Old Madrid 5-4 and sending them to the final.

In the second semi-final match, F.O.V Masters and St Martin Veterans played to a goal-less draw, sending the match to a penalty shootout. F.O.V Masters defeated the tournament favourites 4-3 after the penalty shootout went to sudden death, sending F.O.V to the final.

F.O.V proved to be no match for Combined Stars in the final as the match progressed and fatigue started setting in on the players. Combined Stars, with superior numbers of substitute players, forced F.O.V into submission with 3 first half goals. F.O.V managed to score two goals in the second half as consolation as Combined stars added another two also to give them 5 goals.

Rohan Lennon scored one goal, and two each from Captain Danny Joseph and Noel Isaac were the goal scorers for the 2015 Old Madrid Masters Tournament Champions Combine Stars. Colin Edwards and Stenroy scored for F.O.V.

St Martin Veterans defeated Old Madrid FC 2-1 to cling to the third place spot. Raymond Leir and Fabrice Baly scored two first half goals for the St Martin Veterans with Humphrey Leue scoring the goal of the tournament when he unleashed a thunderous shot from the halfway line to beat goal keeper, Luc Marconnet in the St Martin goal, bringing the curtains down on a very competitive 2015 tournament.

Old Madrid FC President Kenrick Grant thanked the BVI Football Association, the referees, the participating teams, the sponsors, and all the spectators for making the tournament a success.

Awards:
Champions – Combined Stars of Tortola
2nd Place – F.O.V Masters of Antigua
3rd Place – St Martin Veterans from St Martin
Best Goal Keeper – Luc Marconnet from St Martin
Golden Boot – Andrew Denis (4 goals ) St Martin
Tournament MVP – Rohan ‘Chi Chi’ Lennon

Team BVI is Nations Cup champion

By VINO

Team BVI wins 2015 Nations Cup in football tourney. Photo: Provided

Team BVI wins 2015 Nations Cup in football tourney. Photo: Provided

Team BVI ran out 2-1 winners over the Creoles to lift the Nations Cup at the football tournament finals at the Greenland Playfield in East End on Sunday June 28, 2015.

The final of the Gillette-sponsored Nations Cup lived up to the pre-match hype of being a tense, competitive affair, but it was the youngsters of the BVI team that drew first blood when Riaul Roberts calmly slotted home in the 12th minute.

However, the Creoles refused to lay down and concede victory, coming back at the BVI team with grim determination and just six minutes later star striker, Denron Daniel, netted the equaliser from the penalty spot.

The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 until early in the second half when Rafael Savoury took advantage of a blunder in the Creole defense to sneak in and scored what turned out to be the winner.

The youngsters defended well as a unit to see out the game, 2-1, and claimed the title of Champions, sparking wild scenes of celebrations from the players and fans alike.

Team BVI Coach, Avondale Williams, was also proud of his team’s performance. “They worked hard and their concentration level was excellent. They deserved this moment and have played well together for the whole tournament.”

St Vincent failed to show up for the third place match and victory was forfeited to Europe.

Panthers F.C. grab Marlon Penn Nine-a-Side Women’s League Championship trophy

By: BVIFA

Panthers F.C., the victorious women's team which overcame the U15's with a score of 7-0, to secure the championship title of the Marlon Penn Nine-a-Side Women's League. Photo: Provided

Panthers F.C., the victorious women’s team which overcame the U15’s with a score of 7-0, to secure the championship title of the Marlon Penn Nine-a-Side Women’s League. Photo: BVIFA

With an emphatic win, but by the narrowest of margins, the Panthers F.C. leap frogged the U15 Girls team to grab the BVIFA Marlon Penn Nine a Side Women’s league Championship trophy on Sunday 25th January, 2015, at the Greenland’s Playing Field.

Going into the final round of matches any of three teams, the Ballstarz F.C, the U15’s and the Panthers F.C, all had a mathematical chance of being Champion, with the U15’s sitting in prime spot three points up on their nearest rivals.

The first game of the day saw the Ballstarz play the shorthanded Avengers, but after racing into a 3-0 lead just before half time, they saw their chances of recording a big win and boost to their goal difference evaporate as an injury to an Avenger player and her subsequent inability to continue playing, gave the Referees no option but to abandon the game.

The injury took the Avengers down to just six players, with the rules stating at least seven must be on the field for the game to continue.
Murcella Gordon slotted home the opening goal after intercepting a clearance and firing home into the empty net. A neat interchange between Emily Lockhart and Tevern David resulted in a pin point cross to Victoria Medley Parkins, who smashed home the second and then David herself made it three with a well placed shot from outside the penalty area.

The U15’s then played the Panthers, knowing a point or even narrow defeat would guarantee them the Trophy, but the experienced Panthers had a much different idea.

After several near misses at either end, the Panthers opened the scoring half way through the first half when Amanda Creese nodded in from close range. Defensive hesitation then let in Ali Hamilton for the second, seven minutes later. Goal number three came in the 25th minute, with Marie Lumley firing home the rebound after Akira Phillip saved brilliantly from a Hamilton Free Kick.

Hamilton scored her second and the Panthers fourth just before half time, calmly lobbing the ball over Keithreece Smith, deputizing for the injured Phillip.
At the start of the second half Laresha Martin brought out a fine save by Decima Lambert and Gabby Dawson saw her Free Kick blocked by the defense as the Girls took the game to the Panthers. However they would suffer more heartbreak when Hamilton rounded off her hat trick in the 35th minute with a low drive and then Nicky Wheatley hit her lobbed effort with just enough power and bounce to leave Smith unable to stop the ball crossing the line in the 40th.

At 6-0 the goal difference for both teams was identical as were the points total, but Hamilton scored her fourth in the 45th minute to make it 7-0 and despite the U15’s striving for a goal that would have denied the Panthers the Championship, up until the final whistle blew, the strike proved decisive in the destiny of the Trophy.

League Table Marlon Penn Women’s Nine a Side

  Team PL WI DR LO PO GS GA GB
1 Panthers 6 3 1 2 10 12 7 +5
2 U15 Girls 6 3 1 2 10 11 8 +3
3 Ballstarz 6 3 1 2 10 7 5 +2
4 Avengers 6 0 3 3 3 3 13 -10

In the Men’s Championship, the Islanders held onto a 1-0 half time lead, courtesy of a long range Ranalie Caines goal to beat the Ballstarz and lift the Title