GFF Elite League Season III… Benjamin’s hat-trick fires GDF to 4-0 win; Western Tigers notch full points also

Sep 04, 2018 Sports

Vurlon Mills – Western Tigers

Abumchi Benjamin – GDF

Buxton United’s ploy to play three at the back didn’t work out in their favour as Guyana Defence Force Football Club (GDF FC) easily stretched and got into the final third during a thumping 4-0 victory for the defending champions, in the feature match of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League’s double header at Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground on Sunday night.
GDF’s lighting quick centre forward, Abumchi Benjamin made light work of Buxton’s defence, running in behind on numerous occasions thanks to excellent supply from his midfield and by the 12th minute he had already expertly put away two goals in two minutes to give his team a comfortable lead in the first half.
For his first goal, Benjamin was played in behind before dribbling a defender who had caught up to him and calmly finished a right-footed shot past Buxton’s shot stopper, Jason Cromwell. Two minutes later, it was like Déjà vu as Benjamin broke free on goal, dribbled a defender who had caught up to him before finessing with a right-footed shot to the left of Cromwell again, for his second goal.
Four minutes into the second half, Benjamin completed his hat-trick with another expert finish after sprinting past Buxton’s defence as he did throughout the match before he was substituted in the 63rd minute for the GFF player of the year, Sherwyn Caesar. Caesar would go on to score GDF’s fourth goal during stoppage time.
Meanwhile, in the first game, title contenders Western Tigers managed only one goal against ninth place New Amsterdam United in a match where national midfielder Vurlon Mills was the lone goal scorer; his strike coming early, in the second minute.
It was an ordinary performance by the Tigers who will face an uphill task to defeat second place Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors in their penultimate and the final match of the league respectively, if they are to have any shot at the title.
The winners of the league which is slated to conclude on September 23 will pocket a handsome $5million along with entry to the Caribbean club championship while the second place finishers will receive $2million and third $1million. (Calvin Chapman)

Kifambo Goodman is floored after clearing a potentially dangerous ball out of the path of GDF’s Kenard Simon (18) during Sunday’s game at GFC.