Sugar Boys win on penalties against Lion Heart in game one of the Super 6 best of three Final

Sugar Boys 5-4 win on penalties against Lion Heart in game one of the Super 6 best of three Final.

Sugar Boys FC staged a late comeback and then held their nerve to win a penalty shootout 5-4 against Lion Heart FC in game one of the Super 6 Final on Sunday.

The game, played in front of a vociferous crowd at the Virgin Gorda Recreation Ground, looked for all money to be going the way of Lion Heart as they led 3-1 with just over 15 minutes left of regulation time. However, the Sugar Boys have a never say die attitude especially on their “home” pitch, and staged a remarkable comeback, as first talisman Derol Redhead made it 3-2 in the 81st minute and then, deep into added time, McGraw Baptiste calmly stepped up to level the game at 3-3 from the penalty spot.

Lion Heart played a hard game and had thoroughly deserved their lead, not only making sure the final series got off to a great start but also making sure the fans got their money’s worth. It was an intense game with Lion Heart taking full advantage of the chances they created, but wilting under some desperate attacking pressure from the Sugar Boys.

Earlier, Dwayne Smith had put Lion Heart ahead in the 36th minute before German Gonzalez equalized in the 38th minute. Smith scored from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute to make it 2-1 and Nicarious Watt seemingly put his team well on the way to a big win in the 74th minute, to make it 3-1, before the drama unfolded.

With the momentum firmly in their favour, each Sugar Boy stepped up to score his penalty, whilst Lindon Wiliams served notice of his intent by getting his hands on a couple of Lion Heart efforts before making the all important save at the death to hand Sugar Boys the early advantage in the best of three series going into next Sunday’s Game 2 at the East End / Long Look venue on Tortola.

Meanwhile in the Women’s League

Laverne Fahie threading her way goal wards for Avengers v Wolues

Avengers FC further stamped their championship credentials on proceedings with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Wolues FC Women after Laverne Fahie scored the only goal of the game in the 10th minute.

Coach Gloria Fahie had pulled off a master stroke as she decided to push “Ebony” higher up the pitch and saw her confidence rewarded in quick fashion. “After that goal,” said Fahie, ”we played a compact defensive game and denied the Wolues many goal scoring opportunities. They had their usual quick passing tactic, but even if they did create something they found no way past Makeda (Fahie) or “Shay-Shay (Vanterpool) in defense nor the agility and skills of our goalkeeper, Britney Peters.”

Wolues FC win BVIFA Women’s Futsal League

Wolues FC win BVIFA Women’s Futsal League. Photo: BVIFA

The Wolues FC brought their BVI Football Association Women’s Futsal League campaign to a close on Saturday, 30th January with another victory, 3-1, against the Avengers FC, going six from six for a perfect season!

Already guaranteed the championship title in their first year of competitive play, the “Blue Wave” could have been forgiven for taking the foot off the pedal, but not so this group, as the players that have trained together for years as part of the Manatees Programme and played together for various school teams, showed true champion qualities in making sure they kept their 100 % record intact.

The Avengers would prove to be their toughest challenge yet and if it had not been for the alertness, composure, and bravery in the Wolues goal of Tinia Van Zoost, who played most of the second half with a broken finger, the unbeaten streak would have been over.

Darci Reich had put the Wolues up early to settle the nerves, but Laverne Fahie struck back before half time to level the game at 1-1. Undaunted and unfazed, the Wolues girls stepped up their game and Gabi Jermyn fired home a sublime half volley from a corner kick a minute later to make it 2-1.

A back and forth second period saw the Wolues passing the ball around, probing for the cushion of another goal, but also defending resolutely as the Avengers remained a constant threat and it wasn’t until the 44th minute when Reich settled matters with her second goal of the game.

It was a complete team effort and beautiful to watch according to many of the Wolues supporters.

The Coaches also noted that the perfect season was the culmination of the girls’ dedication to training and putting in so much hard work over a lot of years.

The “Blue Wave” should be congratulated for an incredible achievement.

Wolues beat Panthers to stay in the lead in BVIFA Women’s Futsal League

Tola Broderick scored a hat trick for the Wolues FC  in the 8 -0 win over the Panthers FC in the BVIFA Women’s Futsal League Game on January 16, 2021
Photo: BVIFA

The Wolues FC welcomed back head coach John Reilly with a resounding 8-0 victory against the Panthers FC as the BVI Football Association’s Women’s Futsal League continued at Cedar School on Saturday 16th January 2021.

Having not played a league match in over a month, and with Coach Reilly pitch side for the first time, the girls were keen to set the tone early in the game and leave no doubt who the league leaders were.

Passing the ball around with confidence the Wolues created all the early chances and it was Gabi Jermyn who opened the scoring, firing home at the back post from a Darci Reich cross.

The Panthers though looked to hit back straight away, and it took the cat-like reflexes of Tinia Van Zoost to keep the lead intact before the Wolues were able to put the game to bed with some silky passing moves.

Tola Broderick took full advantage of some great build up play, often inspired by Ariel Mohammed, to claim her first hat trick for the club and further goals came from Reich (2), Jermyn with her second of the game and Zolita Bamford as the Wolues dominated.

“It feels amazing to be part of a team that has put so much effort into getting to the level we are at now,” commented Broderick. “We have trained together for years waiting to put our hard work into match situations and I’m proud of our progress. Having scored a hat trick is merely a bonus!”

“Each of the goals was a result of great buildup of play with wonderful final passes that has become a bit of a trademark for the Wolues Ladies’ team,” noted assistant coach, Walter Reich.

Islanders FC to play Sugar Boys in Presidents Cup Final Meanwhile, in Men’s football, the Sugar Boys FC and the Islanders FC will meet in the final of the BVIFA President’s cup after both secured comfortable wins in the “Clash of the Big 4” semifinals.

De Andre Rogers, Ranalie Cains, from the penalty spot and Kevin Fisher- Daniel scored the goals for the Islanders in their 3-1 win against the Panthers FC, for whom Timothy Louisnel scored a late consolation.

“The win was a good one for us,” said Cains. “We got knocked out in the first round of the last President’s Cup, but we played a good game, and I knew a win would be the result.”

The Sugar Boys went ahead in the second half against the Wolues FC through Derrol Redhead and made sure of reaching next Saturday’s final when Jorge Gonzalez made it 2-0 in the dyeing moments.

The match will be played on Sunday, January 24th at the BVIFA’s East End / Long Look venue with a 4pm kick off.

Wolues FC take the game against VG Utd in Women’s Futsal League

The Wolues FC stayed on course for what could be a perfect season in the BVI Football Association’s Women’s Futsal League with a 2-0 victory over VG Utd on Saturday, December 12 at Cedar School.

Once again, the women had to demonstrate their composure, patience and skill to break down a well-organized, compact defense, whilst being mindful of their opponent’s ability to hit them on the break and again they proved highly adept at overcoming even the most tenacious tackling of VG Utd.

“If there was anything lacking, and I think the girls would agree, it would have been the finishing,” remarked Coach Walter Reich. “In these types of tight matches, it really helps loosen the team up if the early opportunities can be converted into goals.”

Gabi Jermyn, Tola Broderick and Darci Reich each had opportunities to put the Wolues up in the first 10 minutes, but the shots were either saved or went wide, but Tola Broderick finally broke the deadlock, latching on to a pass from Reich and making the net ripple for a 1 nil lead.

With the game 1 nil, Coach Peter Van Zoost would make some strategic changes by bringing on both Zolita Bamford and Jhaniqua Collymore, who, despite bringing some fresh energy to the team, were unable to add to the score line and the first half ended 1-0.

Within seconds of the restart, Tinia Van Zoost pulled off a smart save, diving low to her right to keep the Wolues ahead and seemingly gaining more confidence or shocked into a reaction, the Wolues started to turn on the style.

Reich’s curling attempt heading towards the upper right corner of the goal could only be blocked by a defender’s hand and Reich then stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to make it 2-0.

Darci Reich brings the Wolues score up to 2-0 against VG Utd in BVIFA Women’s Futsal League game of December 12, 2020

Wolues WFC defeat Avengers WFC in BVIFA Women’s Futsal League game

Despite a strong early defensive performance the shorthanded Avengers WFC were first overwhelmed and then steam rollered by the marauding Wolues WFC, falling to a 10-2 defeat in Saturday’s BVI Football Association Women’s Futsal League encounter at Cedar School to a team that are quickly becoming irresistible to watch and seemingly impossible to beat.

The Avengers’ strategy – having traveled with a bare minimum of five players – of defending en mass and looking to hit the Wolues on the break, saw them keep their opponents frustrated for the first 17 minutes, but then, as the Wolues began to move the ball around the pitch, stretching the tiring Avengers, Darci Reich glided past a defender or two and fired home the opener.

“The Wolues’ women showed off their patience and ball mastery during that first spell,” noted Nick Mesum. “By stretching the pitch you could see the Avengers’ women begin to tire and it was only going to be a matter time.”

The goal seemed to deflate the Avengers and it was followed up with two additional strikes by Reich who would complete her second hat trick of the season before half time, whilst Brittany Peters fired in a long range corker to give the Avengers a glimmer of hope.

However, after ringing the changes coach Peter Van Zoost was rewarded by seeing his team score a decisive fourth as Tinia Van Zoost – switching her goalkeeper gloves for a pair of striker’s boots – made no mistake from a corner. Ariel Mohammed made it 5-1 a minute later, Zolita Bamford made it 7-1 with a quick fire brace and Tola Broderick added two more in the 43rd and 47th minutes before Reich returned to the fray and turned provider for Edith Ferrer who made it double digits in the 49th.

Peters netted a late consolation from the penalty spot, but the day and the points truly belonged to the girls in sky blue

“The hunger shown by the girls was great to see,” commented coach Walter Reich who added that a few of the girls would have loved to have seen more minutes in the game but also highlighted his “unsung” players as well as giving accolade to the contributions if both Ariel Mohamed at the holding midfield position and Tinia Van Zoost as goalkeeper/sweeper during the first half.

“There are players on every great team who may not get the accolades that goal scorers get but their roles in these extremely critical positions are key to the team’s success,” said coach Reich. “their composure and ability to distribute the ball stretches the opponents and is so important to creating the space necessary for the wingers and striker to do their thing. Teams that win generally have players who are willing to work in the engine room and sometimes out of the limelight.” he concluded.

The Panthers WFC will play VG United at Cedar School with a 4.30pm kick off on Saturday, December 5.