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Standings,
results and other stats
Jamal
Harewood scored five minutes from time against Polonia S.C. last
weekend to hand Brooklyn Italians their second consecutive Cosmopolitan
Soccer League (CSL) title.
The championship match between the two group winners in the CSL
top flight was goalless and seemingly headed for extra time at Aviator
Sports Complex when Harewood struck. Alezea Vilisant had the
assist.
Brooklyn retained the league title that they won on a technicality
last season after Pancyprian Freedoms were punished for using a
suspended player in the final. That game had ended 0-0 after 120
minutes.
Saturday’s victory was also payback for a 1-0 loss to the Poles
last November. The Italians produced a strong finish in the
regular season to top the Western conference with an 8-3-5 (29)
record, while Polonia’s imperious form saw them lose just once
(11-1-4, 37 pts) en route to first place in the East.
PELE
REPEAT
Pele Masters also came away from the Verazzano Sports Complex still
kings of Over-30 soccer, thanks to Glendon George's late winner
in a thrilling tussle with Guyana Veterans ‘B.’
Pele edged their countrymen 3-2 in the ‘B’ Division title
match to retain the championship they lifted year with a 3-1 victory
over S.C. Eintracht.
“Great final,” Pele goal hero Lindon Layne summed up.
“It was a competitive match and very well officiated.”
It could have gone either way, too, with Guyana, who upset their
hitherto undefeated sister club Guyana Veterans ‘A’ in
the semi-final playoff, drawing first blood.
They led 1-0 at the interval, courtesy of Mortimer Innis, and had
been denied by the woodwork no less than three times when Layne
ended some profligate Pele finishing to slot home the equalizer
early in the half.
Layne’s leveler seemed to swing the pendulum in Pele’s
favor as shortly afterwards Laventon Deterville shot the champions
ahead.
However, Guyana still had a lot of fight left in them. In the 65th
minute, Robert Meertins finished off a great move to tie the game.
Extra time seemed a distinct possibility when George popped up to
nick it for Pele with five minutes to spare.
Still, Pele had to survive a late scare before skipper Dwain Obermuller
received the trophy from ‘B’ Division co-chairs Eric Butte
and Rory Finn.
To reach the final, Pele stunned previously unbeaten Barnstonworth
Premier 4-2.
KOHA TIE
Also at Verazzano, Second Division Koha and Central Park Rangers
both wrapped up the season with a goalless tie.
Koha’s reserves won 5-1.
TEAM ISRAEL HELD
At Randalls Island, a Barnstonworth Rovers Over-30 select side did
the CSL and themselves proud in battling the touring Israeli National
Veterans team to a 0-0 tie at Ichan Stadium.
This is how Rovers’ Scottish-born lifer Colin Reid saw it:
“The visiting team looked pretty fit and sharp in warm-ups
and so it proved when the game began; they were zipping the ball
around the field with ease and their breaks from midfield were causing
problems for the Rovers defense. Some fine, nay, superb goalkeeping
from Pat Wisnom kept them out - with a couple of point-blank saves
frustrating the Israeli attack in particular.
“At the other end, Rovers were limited to counter-attacks but
we did look dangerous on the break, particularly as Brian “The
Unmackers” McLaughlin had the pace to beat the Israeli defense.
He had a few chances but their keeper pulled off some good stops
and there were a
couple of narrow misses.
“The second half was more of the same with Michael Messmer
replacing Wisnom in goal and pulling off a good stop in the first
few minutes. The Rovers defense improved a little, or their team
tired, as there
were fewer clear-cut chances and more long-range efforts.
“Rovers midfield came more into the game but there were few
occasions to test the Israeli second-half keeper -- though he did
spill the ball once or twice.
“The best effort of the game fell to Ron Baskin who shot the
ball low from six yards out, but the keeper managed to get down
enough to slow the momentum of the ball and their defense cleared
it
off the line.
“The Israeli coach awarded MVP (honors) to the Rovers goalie,
thinking that Wisnom and Messmer were one and the same, and referring
to the latter as “Tommy Hilfiger” for wearing a bright
red goalie shirt.
“In the end, the Rovers just about deserved the draw against
a very capable traveling side (that) had easily dispatched a Boston
team 3-0.
“I would concur with (the Israeli coach) in that the two goalkeepers
deserved MVP and if you make me pick one then Wisnom had some great
saves to shade it.”
Rovers: Pat Wisnom, Michael Messmer, Olli Herrala, Kevin
O'Donovan, Gary Sisto, Jason Moore, Brian “Mackers” McLaughlin,
Andy Horan, Ron Baskin, Takamichi Saeki, Ben Weiner, Brian “The
Unmackers”
McLaughlin, Colin Reid, Martin Mackinnon, George Box, Russell Davies,
Brian Roth, Donnie, Anday McCarran.
Prior to the international friendly, a combined Rovers first/reserve
team took on Coastal Soccer and came from 3-1 down to tie 3-3 in
a coruscating affair.
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