The Island League Football Tournament crowned a new champion at the Ambergris Stadium on Saturday, January 11th. The final match of the local tournament had both teams and their fans on edge, as the regulation 90 minutes were not enough to determine a winner. It took an additional 30 minutes of overtime and penalty kicks for Sharks FC to secure a hard-fought victory over Sea Bulls FC.
The championship match began at 7:30PM in a stadium filled with passionate supporters for both teams. Sea Bulls FC demonstrated dominance in the first half’s early minutes. Sharks FC shifted from a defensive strategy to a more aggressive approach; however, neither team could break the deadlock. At the end of the first half, both squads headed to the lockers without scoring a goal.
The Sea Bulls continued aggressive gameplay in the second half, making several close attempts. However, they could not pass the net to score. Sharks FC had the same difficulties, and despite some well-planned plays, the ball just could not penetrate Sea Bulls’ defense.
Sharks FC found an opening as the match peaked and scored their first goal. This unexpected result seemed to affect the Sea Bulls, allowing the Sharks to dominate the final minutes of the second half. However, they were unable to extend their lead. Instead, errors in the Sharks’ defense resulted in a goal for the Sea Bulls. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, leading both teams into injury time.
The injury time consisted of two sets of 15 minutes, but neither team managed to score. Consequently, the champion was decided through penalty kicks. The Sea Bulls started strong, taking an early lead, until one of their players missed a penalty. The Sharks had a chance to take the lead but also missed their shot. The Sea Bulls missed another penalty kick, which allowed the Sharks to pull ahead. Capitalizing on this advantage, the Sharks converted all their remaining shots, scoring the winning goal in the penalty shootout. The Sea Bulls had to settle for the second-place trophy.
During the award ceremony, Councilor Adaly Ayuso and Sports Coordinator Ada Cordova expressed their gratitude to all the teams and their fans for their continued support of the sport on the island. The tournament, organized by the San Pedro Town Council, is expected to return in 2025. The committee also recognized the referees for their dedication throughout the season.
Following that, the individual awards were presented. Eric Rodriguez was named Best Young Player of the Season, while Isaul Coba received the award for Best Goalkeeper. Manny Godoy earned the Most Goals Award, and Team Vince Assassins was honored with the Fair Play trophy.
Damian Pollard won the Best Defender award, which was accepted by one of his teammates. Eric Rodriguez also claimed the Most Valuable Player award.
Afterward, Sea Bulls FC received their medals along with their second-place trophy. Finally, Sharks FC took to the stage to collect their individual medals and triumphantly lift the large trophy as they were celebrated as the new Island League champions.