Tottenham Hotspur dominates in Youth Cup debut
Gillingham forward Harry Laing kept the Academy SC defence on their heels
(CNS): After local sides Academy Sports Club and Sunset FC notched victories on the first day of the Cayman Airways U-14 Invitational Youth Cup on 20 June, UK-based Tottenham Hotspur dominated Sunset in their opening match the following day, which also featured two highly competitive fixtures. Cavalier Soccer Club from Jamaica also enjoyed an impressive start to the competition, beating Gillingham FC from the UK on day one.
Here is a rundown of the day two matches:
Gillingham FC 2, Academy SC 1
The referee’s whistle had hardly gone silent after signalling the start of play when Jahmai Griffiths scored his third goal of the tournament. The second-minute strike gave Academy SC the early advantage. The equaliser came nine minutes later when Harry Laing found the back of the net for Gillingham. The teams went to the break with the score level at 1-1. That score line changed when Toby Bancroft collected the ball in the box and drove it past Maxwell Twight in the Academy goal, giving Gillingham the 2-1 advantage.
Twight made a number of second-half saves to keep his team in the game and prevent Gillingham winning by a wider margin. Academy tasted defeat for the first time after an impressive 4-1 victory over International Football & Futsal Development Campus from Dallas on Monday.
Harbour View FC 1, REV Soccer Club 1
REV star player Ben Lessert continued his impressive form in the tournament and scored his first goal on a breakaway, driving it low and hard past Recardo Laing in the Harbour View goal early in the first half. Laing prevented Lessert from doubling the lead a few minutes later with an impressive save from a close range shot.
Ronaldo Robinson tried his best to bring the Jamaican side level, first missing just high and wide from about 35 yards out and then carving through the REV defence before putting the ball into the side of the net. Kellijah Morgan shook off defenders, then fed the ball to Shawn Daley, whose near-certain equaliser was denied by REV keeper Elliot Brown.
Preserving a 1-0 lead into the second half, Brown made a few key saves to help the Minnesota side stay ahead. Harbour View dominated the possession but hit the goalpost on several occasions. The Jamaican side got a chance to equalise in added time when a REV defender was whistled for a handball in the box. Romaye Davis stepped up and put his penalty kick into the back of the net to bring the score level just before the game ended.
Tottenham FC 7, Sunset FC 0
It was mostly one-way traffic as Tottenham jumped on the offensive from the get-go, dominating possession early with tactical play. That effort paid dividends when Tarrelle Whittaker scored to make it 1-0. Chukwunonso Madueke doubled the lead a few minutes later before Whittaker headed another home to ensure the scoresheet read 3-0 at the half.
Lucas Burke, constantly under pressure in the Sunset goal, made a few solid saves early in the second half before Dennis Cirkin, Madueke, Joshua Setchell and Jamie Bowden put the game out of reach, giving the English side a comfortable win in their first match. It was Sunset FC’s first loss, having drawn 0-0 previously against REV Soccer Club.
The Truman Bodden Sports Complex will host matches for the third straight day today (22 June). First up will be Cavalier Soccer Club (Jamaica) versus IFFDC (Dallas, Texas) at 4:45pm, followed by REV Soccer Club (Minnesota) against Tottenham Hotspur (England) at 6:30pm. In the final fixture of the day, Sunset FC (Cayman Islands) will play their last group match against Harbour View FC (Jamaica) at 8:15pm.
