– Advertisement –
By Samuel Peters
Defending champions All Saints United sent a resounding message to the rest of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association Premier League with a devastating 8-0 victory over Jennings United.
The champions were in ruthless form overwhelming the Jennings men with last year’s MVP Raheem Deterville being the star of the show, netting a hat-trick with goals in the 25th, 61st, and 83rd minutes to underline his status as one of the league’s premier strikers.
Joshua Roache also impressed with a brace, finding the net in the 80th and 89th minutes as All Saints piled on the pressure late in the match. D’Andre Bishop opened the scoring in the 18th minute, while the Knight brothers, Shalon (56′) and Karique (71′), also got on the scoresheet to round out the emphatic victory.
The result demonstrates the titleholder’s appetite to retain their championship title and serves as a warning to their rivals that they remain the team to beat in the ABFA Premier League.
Another fixture showcased Garden Stars’ strong form with a convincing 5-1 victory over John Hughes. Nadre Thomas led the scoring with a brace in the 55th and 68th minutes, while Ngozie Harvey (25′), Tarek Charles (30′), and Kemoi Walsh (44′) ensured Garden Stars had built a commanding lead by halftime.
John Hughes managed a consolation goal through Dalton Lewis in the 72nd minute, but it was too little, too late as Garden Stars cruised to three points.
However, the opening encounter saw a dramatic and controversial fixture, Aston Villa secured all three points despite being reduced to 10 men in the closing stages. Eroy Gonsalves was the hero for Villa, scoring both goals in the 27th and 59th minutes to give his side what appeared to be a comfortable lead. Before his second goal Xavier Smith opened the scoring in the second half by netting in the 48th.
However the match took a dramatic turn in the 76th minute when both Smith and Jahwanda George received red cards, leaving both Villa and Bullets to defend their lead with just 10 players. The latter pushed hard for an equalizer, but Villa held firm until deep into stoppage time when Kimon Harrigan was also red carded in 90+4th minute.
About The Author
– Advertisement –
