Latest update May 10th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 01, 2013 Sports
Defending Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) champions, Paramakatoi, relinquished their title to Mahdia after losing 2-1 when the 2013 Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Championship continued on Saturday, at the Mahdia Community Centre ground.
Played in soggy conditions both teams looked positive from the start as they created several attacking incursions in each half that warmed the crowd to what was in store for the rest of the encounter.
Paramakatoi appeared more settled in the conditions and used the aerial route to perfection since ground passing due to the heavy outfield proved difficult.
Mahdia, however, had an early stroke of luck when a clearance by the Paramakatoi backline got stuck in a pool of water, thereby allowing Mahdia’s Stephen Salvador to race onto the ball and hammer a fierce shot into the top right hand corner of the net in the ninth minute of play.
Clearly needing to recuperate from the early setback, Paramakatoi’s attacking third upped the ante and attacked with commitment as their next five attempts tested the Mahdia goalkeeper, who either parried it into touch for a corner or simply had to pull off a brilliant save.
However, Paramakatoi’s consistent barrage, coupled with the precision striking opened up an opportunity when Mahdia’s keeper ventured to the right corner of the eighteen yard box to clear a ball only to be dispossessed by Maurice Gomes, who tucked the ball into the back of the net in the 29th minute to level the proceedings.
The two teams then battled the rest of the half without scoring to leave the game deadlocked at 1-1 at the break.
On the resumption, both teams showed admirable fighting qualities as they battled for supremacy with the first alarm coming from Paramakatoi that netted a goal 15 minutes into the second half play only for it to be deemed an offside goal.
Moments later it was Paramakatoi’s turn to be scared after a shot deflected by the keeper struck underneath the crossbar, but luckily rebounded back into play and was subsequently cleared by the defence.
With both teams battling for the upperhand and Paramakatoi showing great passing skills, Mahdia sunk the hearts of supporters of the defending champs through a play that begun down the right flank, before ending up in the back of the net in the 89th minute courtesy of Keon Mackenzie to put Mahdia up 2-1 which was good enough to ensure that they were crowned new champions of Region Eight.
Meanwhile, at the presentation ceremony which was held immediately after, Co-ordinator of the tournament Lavern Fraser-Thomas congratulated both teams and disclosed that Mahdia will reach the winners of Region One in the play-off round for a chance to get to the quarterfinal.
The game will be played in Region One.
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