Sweet 16 for Veterans Football Tournament

The final sweet 16 participants for the 2012 Veterans Football Tournament are known, following the last set of preliminary play off matches Thursday evening. In a Group A encounter of only academic interest Desruisseaux playing on their home field defeated Anse La Raye 2-1 before a very appreciative crowd. Anse La Raye went ahead in the 27th minute through former national striker Benjamin “Satan” Gabriel, however goals from Nicholas “Appa” Simeon in the 42nd minute and from Lawrence “Row” Malcolm in the final minute of play gave Desruisseaux the victory. Mabouya Valley and Anse La Raye qualified for the tournament from Group A as the top two teams. Mabouya Valley finished on seven points, Anse La Raye four points, while Vieux Forth North and Desruisseaux registered three points. In Group B the qualifiers for the tournament are Congorians who topped the group and Prophets and Kings who finished second. Congorians and Prophets and Kings both finished with six points with a plus two goal difference, however Congorians topped the group by virtue of scoring more goals than Prophets and Kings. Congorians had seven goals for and five against, while Prophets and Kings had five goals for and three against. La Clery just missed out on qualification finishing on six points also with a goal difference of plus two, but they had five goals for and four against. Babonneau finished at the bottom of Group B with no points losing all their matches. In the final group games Thursday night in Group B at the La Guerre Playing Field, Congorians defeated Prophets and Kings 2-0 with goals coming from Ian Jacobs, on a well struck free kick from Valence Duncan who converted from the penalty spot. In the other game Thursday evening, La Clery won over home team Babonneau 1-0. The playoff qualifiers have been placed in the following four groups for the preliminaries of the tournament. Group A: VSADC, Lab Vets of Laborie, Soufriere, Mabouya Valley. Group B: Behind the College All Stars, Vieux Fort South, Shamrock, Congorians. Group C: All Blacks Veterans of Dennery, Gros Islet Legands, Lancers FC, Prophets and Kings. Group D: Caricom Masters, Micoud, Nyah and Anse La Raye. The tournament’s press launch takes place today (Saturday) from 7pm at Sandals Grande. All 16 teams are required to have two representatives there along with a team jersey sample. The tournament’s grand launch takes place October 14 at the Beausejour Cricket Grounds.