7 News Belize

Benque Game Was Brutal
posted (January 27, 2014)
Was It was win or go home this weekend in Premier League Football, as both semifinals series played their second and final games.

In game 1 on Saturday in Dangriga, the BDF Team was unable to overcome a three goal deficit when they drew with the Belmopan Bandits and one goal apiece.

So with that, it's over for BDF and the Bandits advance to the finals.

On Sunday night, the action moved to a very wet Marshalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo where the home Team FC Verdes just had to score one goal more than the visiting Belize FC team to advance. But, let's just say weather was an issue, a major one at that.

The game couldn't be played on Saturday in Benque because it had been raining all day, and then on Sunday the field was still too wet so the game was moved to Norman Broaster. But, it was quickly moved back because the Benque fans wanted their team on their turf.

As we found out that turf was fit for a pigsty but not a semifinal match - and the dismal field conditions contributed to a game that ended in a near chaos, with police firing warning shots and rocks being thrown at the visiting team.

That was the end - here's how it all started:

Jules Vasquez reporting
From the players walked out, we could see the field at Marshalleck Stadium was in a state. The completely soaked conditions had a huge effect on all aspects of the game, from ball handling to defence.

It was part pool party, part pigsty, slippery and out of control and this FC Belize penalty in the 14th minute set up Verdes' with an easy shot - which left their home crowd elated.

But tensions on the field and countless fouls - made for a rough game. And in the 87th minute all that rough play would led to this - the goalkeeper Benito Moreira for Verdes fouling Steven Baizer. With that FC Belize - got a penalty awarded which led to an onfield fight from a frustrated Verdes Team already playing a man down.

Still, Jarett Davis composed himself to score the equalizer.

Jarett Davis, Forward FC Belize
"He went on a counter and Steven Baizer control the ball and the keeper fouled him from backwards and right away I already know I can score and Kelo ran to me and said to bring this one home for him and definitely I would not miss from that spot."

That forced an overtime, that was a real battle, 90 minutes of play had reduced the filed to muck the ball was waterlogged and virtually impossible to advance while play had become more like mud wrestling.

The first overtime ended with the score still tied and in the second overtime we saw the closest thing to a moment of grace as Jorge Alexman crossed the ball, it was deflected by Verdes Defender Humberto Requena and went right to late substitute Michael Hernandez who scored form right inside the 18.

The go-ahead goal - which caused celebration for one team and consternation for the other - and in 5 more frustrating minutes of play.

It came to this ugly scene.

A red card for Norman Nunez, police on the field and a very volatile atmosphere on the pitch. The hostility would continue with an out of control Erlan Lyons losing his temper.

Verdes left the field in anger and the referees called the game with about five minutes to go in the second overtime. The police had to escort the officials off the field. Not even Elroy Trapp's sister could subdue him as he stalked the referees.

Reporter
"Michael, a night to remember, a night to forget at the same time. The field very wet, but you scored the winning goal; the goal that made the final against the Bandits."

Michael Hernandez, Forward - FC - Belize
"I just came back. I worked out whole week and I came prepared for this game, so I just bring it. That is basically what happened, just ready for next week now."

Reporter
"What would be your conclusion of the field tonight apart from being wet?"

Michael Hernandez, Forward - FC - Belize
"It was awful, it's like we were playing in a pig pen, but when it comes to the game it was who wanted it more and we wanted it more and we just did it."

Reporter
"Do you believe the conditions of the field had a lot to do with the performance of both teams tonight?"

Michael Hernandez, Forward - FC - Belize
"It do have a lot because FC plays touches and I think if the never weren't wet it would have been a disaster because we were looking to give them back the same 4 that they gave us. So the field kind of saves them a little bit. They got a quick penalty and that kept them in the game a little longer. But we were looking to finish this game from first half."

Reporter
"What would you say would be one of the key things that influence in the results tonight?"

Shamir Pacheco, Midfielder - Verdes
"The results - everybody saw it - it was the referee. He messed up the game. We wanted the man to give is a fair game; he didn't have to thief for us nor for them. The men abstract the game big time."

Reporter
"The season is over and it ends this way, do you think that the conditions of this field tonight was appropriate to practice such a game here tonight at the Marshalleck Stadium?"

Shamir Pacheco, Midfielder - Verdes
"Not really, it wasn't very proper because we could have played a better game like what we played in Belize City, but we can't do anything with nature - that's how the rains came."

Reporter
"Did management at any point in time try to change the game to Norman Broaster Stadium?"

Shamir Pacheco, Midfielder - Verdes
"Yeah, we were trying to change it but like what I told you we have the fan base right here and many fans doesn't like to travel to Cayo."

Reporter
"How do you plan to recover the team now?"

Michael Hernandez, Forward - FC - Belize
"We don't plan to rest. We plan to put in more work out and prepared for the boys because we are ready for them."

Jarett Davis, Forward FC Belize
"I respect bandits, but same way too we will compete because at the end of the year its 11/11 - we don't care who Bandits have, FC have 11 players and they have 11 players and we will war until the last whistle and we feel confident that we have this."

So, Belize FC advances to the two game finals which starts at the MCC Grounds on Sunday with FC Belize hosting the Belmopan Bandits in game one of the Belikin Cup Final.

And while they've moved on, the scars from Sunday's match are still with them - particularly long time FC Belize coach and personality Anthony Bernard. He was pelted in the head with a stone as the team bus was leaving Marshalleck Stadium on Sunday night. He told us they had to slip through the back gate, but still the van came under attack:

Anthony Bernard "Willie Bo" - FC Belize Supporter
"We exit through the back gate and everybody got into the bus and the bus man came and got into the bus. The last man was Mr. Vasquez to close the door. Mr. Kelo Leslie was sitting in front of me and then he said look out Willie Bo and when he said that I swing my head. When I swing my head a stone came from this side into the bus and hot me on my head. I react and just bury down my head not knowing that when I touch my head there was blood and then it started to pour down. Mr. Vasquez jump up and tried to stop the blood from flowing."

"The stoning continues and it ended up bursting the back of the bus. From there they took me to the hospital and when I got there the doctor asks and I explained to him what happened. He told me that the wound have opened up a little and that I have to get about 10 stiches."

"When I got to the hospital everything was covered in blood. I couldn't even see through my eyes. They had to hold me and carry me to the emergency."

"In that process the fan crowd the field and attacked the referee. The police had some baton and tried to protect the referees. They ended up throwing stones hitting the referee. The referee ran to the police and they ran exiting the field. They ran back into the field because the fans continue throwing stones. The only solution was that one of the police officers pull out his firearm and started to fire shots towards the guys them and they fired back about 3-4 shots."

Willie-Bo says that one of the Verdes player is the one that threw the stone which burst his head. We could not confirm if police will be seeking that persons out for questioning.

We have confirmed that warning shots had to be fired by police to make an advancing crowd scatter.

No word yet on what sanctions the league will be handing down.

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