Dream Team hold off spirited Oropouche

Dream Team staved off a spirited effort from North Oropouche on Tuesday to win comfortably 5-2 to reach the summit of the Caribbean Welders Fishing Pond League standings.

Playing at the North Oropouche Recreation Ground, Dream Team could have went ahead courtesy two early chances. Jade Allmon fired a warning shot overbar from distance and Andre Jordan missed a sitter soon after when he completely miscued his shot from close range after he was found unmarked at the far post from a low right-sided cross.

But against the run of play, Dream Team found themselves trailing through a wonderful strike from North Oropouche’s Leon Timothy. The winger did well to chest a long pass in traffic and took one look up before firing a left-footed volley that looped over the Dream Team goalie and into the net.

The goal seemed to knock the wind out of Dream Team and Timothy almost hit them another sucker punch, collecting a pass on the right flank and quickly shifting the ball onto this left before curling a left-footer that landed on the roof of the net.

Dream Team’s Jameel Sempele looked to take matters into his hands, making a surging run from halfline before dragging his shot just wide of the right post. His busy approach paid off soon after, running onto a whipped in cross from the right and side-footing first-time to the far post to square the match just before the half.

Dream Team went ahead soon after the break albeit fortuitously, Allmon, looking to whip in a cross into the box on the right, saw his shot sail over the ‘keeper’s head and into the net. And it was 3-1 a couple minutes later, central defender Keryl “Gino” Garcia’s long diagonal pass found Tavarous Boiselle ghosting in behind the defence to head past the onrushing goalie and into the net.

But just when it seemed the floodgates would open, North Oropouche hit back spectacularly through the diminutive Ravi Gayasingh. On the receiving end of some rough treatment throughout the evening, Gayasingh was set free on a counter at the halfway line and drifted past four Dream Team defenders from left to right before poking the ball past the ‘keeper to make it 3-2.

All thought of a comeback were ended via a stunning 25-yard free-kick from “Gino”. The defender, known for his powerful shots, unleashed a rocket that fizzed over the wall and into the top left hand corner past the diving goalie. And it was soon 5-2, substitute Akeem Dandrade feeding Andron Cassanova to the centre of the box for a simple tap-in after taking on two defenders.

In other results recently, El Carmen 45 beat Alliance 3-0; Manzan beat G Madrid 4-0; Dragon beat Fishing Pond Youths 2-0; Gremio beat Take That and Cool It 6-3; Dream Team beat Alescon FC 3-0; Express beat Take That and Cool It 3-1; North Oropouche beat El Carmen 45 2-1; Manzan FC beat Boys Town 1-0; Gremio beat Alliance 3-0; SP Boys beat Dragon 3-0 by default; G Madrid beat Take That and Cool It 2-1; Dream Team beat Fishing Pond Youths 6-1; Dream Team beat Gremio 3-2.