Rupununi suffer mixed fortunes in Women’s football …..GDF and Paiwomak meet in final today

REGION NINE, Rupununi,suffered mixed fortunes when the rescheduled semi-finals of the GFF’s Women’s Development League was staged yesterday morning at the Tucville ground.In the opening game,the GDF squeezed into the final via a Penalty shoot-out after the game against St. Ignatius ended 2-2 at the end of regulation and extra time.The Army lasses took the lead in the 7-a-side 30-minute contest as early as the 5th minute,thanks to pint-sized Abescie Heywood.The Region nine ladies cancelled out the lead within a minute when Vanessa Scipio found the back of the nets. The technically sound but much smaller St Ignatius side took the lead on the stroke of half time when Sonia Griffith converted.Army’s double goal-scoring ‘sheroe’ Abescie HeywoodThe Army came out aggressive in the final half as they attacked at will but without finding the back of the net until five minutes from the end when Heywood scored again from close up. The persistent raids on the St. Ignatius defence seemingly took its toll as the players looked physically drained.In the extra time period Griffith had a clear-cut opportunity to score the winner after she broke free down the middle only to be denied by a timely tip over the bar by the advancing Army’s goalkeeper,Ronette Cort,in the final minute of play.In the ensuing three Penalty kicks per team, The Army was perfect in their first two kicks while the Rupununi ladies shot wide of the mark in their two attempts to end their hopes of playing in today’s final.The other game, however,ended in regulation time as the Paiwomak FC proved technically superior and more organized than the Fruta Conquerors unit,winning by a 2-1 margin. A Samantha Roberts double (13 and 24 minutes) dented all hopes of the home team while Gillian Hawker was rock solid in defense for the Macushi ladies. Natalie Nedd netted Fruta’s consolation goal 4 minutes from the endThe third-place play-off between St. Ignatius FC and Conquerors FC will kick off at 16:00hrs today,followed by GDF versus Paiwomak FC in the final at Camp Ayanganna.(Ras Wadada)