QRC
3 |
vs |
Mucurapo
3 |
QRC and Mucurapo both had much to play for in the day’s match.
QRC, the eldest secondary institution in the country, is the only competing school to have never been relegated in the history of the Colleges and Secondary Schools Leagues.
Mucurapo are the current league champions and it would be grave indeed to be relegated just one season after donning the North Zone crown. The Compre boys have flattered to deceive all season. They have a speedy attack and the ability to get off shots in abundance, but have serious problems with their finishing, particularly shot accuracy.
The Royalians on the other hand have appeared lax in the attack through the season. They have also left much on the shoulders of a three-man defence marshalled by captain Kareem Richardson.
A very rainy afternoon left the field slick, heavy and more appropriate for slide-tackling than competitive football. Mucurapo came out looking for the advantage despite the conditions and took the lead in less than five minutes through their Mutar Taylor. In the tenth, they were up by two off a free-kick by Kern St. Louis.
The Boys in Blue – in their white strip on the day – did not settle until midway through the first half. More progressive play paid dividends however. The home team was able to pull back one through a quickly taken free kick and good thinking by young striker Jerrel Britto in the 40th minute.
On the resumption, QRC continued to hold their own in the midfield, particularly on the right with storming runs in the mud by Akeem Deacon, and with play up the middle led by lanky Keron Doldron. Mucurapo players appeared more interested in subduing the potential for another Britto strike, leaving other the players more room and time to run and pass.
It was Akeem though who managed to notch the equaliser in the 49th minute of the game. Less than six minutes later, central midfielder Kishan Geelal scored his first goal for the season to put QRC up by one. In a first for Royalian football, orange-booted player then ran the length of the field to receive congratulations from a young lady, likely his inspiration and support, before trotting back for the touch, much to the amusement of the many Old Boys in attendance.
3-2 did not though reflect what the score line could be, with both teams making fast and searching forays, and raking shots across the faces of the goals. Twice or three times, QRC midfielders saw high lobs from distance bounce off the top of the crossbar. On a number of occasions, the diminutive QRC keeper was made to prove a good pair of hands, taking the ball off Mucurapo players’ feet.
However, the persistent pressure that Mucurapo has applied to opponents all season long eventually paid dividends, and Mutar Taylor was able to score his second to draw the score level.
The teams spent the remainder of the game going back and forth, but finding no opening until in near dark the referee called off an entertaining and exciting affair.
In the day’s other scheduled matches, Fatima beat Trinity 2-1. St. Anthony’s and Diego Martin had their encounter rescheduled to Tuesday 23rd due to a waterlogged field.
As a result of the postponement, Malick no longer will have the luxury of a target, must do their very best to destroy Trinity on Saturday, and wait until Tuesday to see whether St. Anthony’s will be able to improve the Laventille side’s adjusted goal difference.
Fatima remains third and untroubled on 22 points, unable to catch the front runners or be caught by the remaining teams in the zone.
The table’s lower half juggles again though, with three teams now on eight points, but separated by goal difference.
On minus-9 goal difference, Trinity sits fifth. On minus-10, Diego Martin Secondary drops to sixth. Mucurapo remains in the cellar position despite the draw.
The Royalians on minus-8 now sit in the middle of the table in fourth position.
The shake up in the table creates several interesting scenarios for QRC. To be absolutely certain of avoiding demotion, QRC must secure a win against Fatima in the two teams’ final game on Saturday. A loss or draw will leave QRC’s fate to other results on Saturday and Tuesday.
On Saturday, Malick tackles Trinity, and Mucurapo take on Diego Martin. Diego plays their rescheduled match against St. Anthony’s on Tuesday of next week.
Permutations in the event of a loss to Fatima
QRC giving up full points to Fatima would leave the team on eight points. To be demoted then, Mucurapo would then have to beat Diego Martin to put themselves ahead of QRC on the table. A draw would be sufficient to pull them level with QRC and it would come down to goal difference between the two teams. The draw would move Diego Martin ahead of QRC and Mucurapo to 9 points. The Tuesday match against St. Anthony’s would then not threaten Diego Martin with demotion.
Were Mucurapo to beat Diego Martin however, Compre would pull ahead to 10 points. Diego Martin would then have to pull off at least a draw against St. Anthony’s to also pass QRC on points.
Trinity too would need to pull off at least a draw against Malick in their final match to pass QRC on points. This is an unlikely event since Malick knows that they must beat Trinity as badly as possible in this match in order to give St. Anthony’s a difficult goal differential to chase in their final game on Tuesday versus Diego Martin.
Permutations in the event of a draw with Fatima
Were QRC to secure at least a draw, the Royalians would end league play with nine points. To pass QRC on the table, Mucurapo needs then to win their last match against Diego Martin to move to 10 points, a draw then not being sufficient to move out of cellar position. Diego Martin still on eight points would have to pull out all stops to beat St. Anthony’s. Because they are already behind QRC on goal difference, a draw would only pull them level on points, but they would remain behind, and dependant on the Trinity-Malick result, last.
Trinity, also on eight points, would be hard pressed to beat Malick in the event of a QRC-Fatima draw. Again, a draw with Malick would not be sufficient to move Trinity ahead of QRC as they are already behind on goal differential. Again though, the likelihood of a draw for Trinity in one of the two zonal championship deciders is very slim.
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It is sad indeed that QRC’s concern at this stage is not that which bothers Malick and St. Anthony’s, that is the dependant results required to win the league. One would hope though that the experience this year is the low point from which QRC football will step up and away in subsequent seasons. There is much though to be done.
Onto Fatima and thence to Intercol… A Boom Alack!
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