Elite beat Sunset in mid-week clash

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 18 May 2017

Elite scored an important win.

Elite Sports Club earned an important three-point result, beating Sunset FC 2-1 in their mid-week Cayman Premier League clash on 17 May at the Ed Bush Sports Complex.

Elite entered the game in the thick of the race for second and automatic qualification to the Caribbean Club Championships. On the other hand, Sunset was trying to move up from seventh place and avoid being forced to contest a playoff to determine if they will remain in the top-flight or be relegated to the CIFA First Division.

To the game: Both sides came in upbeat after picking up wins on Sunday. It was an even affair with neither side able to create chances to make the keepers uncomfortable for much of the first half.

That was until injury time, when Elite’s Raul Rodriguez made a break for goal from the midfield and found Miguel Simms streaking toward the right edge of the 18-yard box, who then crossed the ball and connected with Raheem Robinson, who knocked it past Lee Parry in the Sunset goal. Elite took a 1-0 lead into the interval.

Elite came out in search of more offense, knowing Sunset would be pressing equally to level the score, as every point carries increased significance in the twilight of the season.

Elite’s opportunity came five minutes after play resumed. Robinson this time played the role of creator, pushing the ball upfield to Raul Rodrigues on the right, who pulled Parry out of position and was able to make an easy pass to Wesley Robinson for the tap in. Wesley Robinson usually anchors the team as centre back but was moved to midfield by coach Greg Ebanks, a move that got the customary captain in the midst of the league’s most potent offense.

Sunset kept at it but didn’t scratch the scoresheet, not for a lack of lack of trying but not being able to find the target. Multiple opportunities saw Sunset attackers just missing the mark.

The effort, though, would pay off in stoppage time as an Elite defender was whistled for a tackle in the box. A penalty kick was awarded and the steady Tommy Tuohy stepped up and made easy work of it but it was too little, too late, as Elite held on for the 2-1 win.

See all goals below:

The result saw Elite move to 35 points, four points ahead of third-placed Academy SC, who are unable to bridge the gap with only one game left on their schedule. However, last season’s champions, Scholars International, sit six back of Elite with two game in hand. Elite a single fixture remaining, while their West Bay rivals have three. Scholars was scheduled to play Latinos but that game was postponed due to an unready ground in Bodden Town.

That brings us to this: Scholars and Elite go head-to-head this Sunday in their backyard at the Ed Bush Sports Complex at 7:00 p.m. That should be the game of the weekend.

Meantime, Sunset remains in seventh on 19 points and face fellow relegation-threatened Cayman Athletic, who are three points back at the bottom of the table. That’s the last game of the season for both club.

See points table and weekend schedule below:

Unofficial Cayman Premier League table as of 18 May 2017

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bodden Town FC	20	14	2	4	30	20	10	44
2	Elite Sports Club	20	10	5	5	38	24	14	35
3	Academy Sports Club	20	9	4	7	27	26	1	31
4	Scholars International	18	8	5	5	27	13	14	29
5	Latinos FC	19	5	7	7	26	26	0	22
6	Roma United SC	19	6	2	11	25	29	-4	20
7	Sunset FC	20	6	1	13	24	44	-20	19
8	Cayman Athletic SC	20	4	4	12	21	37	-16	16