Devonshire Colts 4 Vasco 1

It was a rough return to the league for Vasco da Gama as they suffered a 4-1 defeat against Devonshire Colts at North Field, National Sports Centre, yesterday.

Kyle Jones, the Colts captain, scored the first and last goals of the game to help his team to a comfortable victory, while Deszion Davis and Eli Smith chipped in with one a piece.

Ricardo Ponte was the scorer for Vasco, converting from the penalty spot.

Colts were in control from the outset, advancing the ball from back to front with little resistance. It did not take long for the possession to translate into opportunities, and by the seventh minute, Jones was first to react to a rebounded free kick, tapping in from close range.

Moments later, Davis doubled the lead as he put the finishing touches to a low cross from the left side of the box from ten yards. Colts continued to probe looking for a third goal. That goal came in the 20th minute when Jones was brought down by the goalkeeper after receiving a through ball just inside the box.

Eli Smith stepped up, firmly striking his spot kick into the top corner. Vasco started the second half better than they did the first, and found their breakthrough in the 57th minute when Eduardo Viera was bundled over in the box by a Colts defender.

Ponte, the Vasco captain, buried the resulting penalty to the goalkeeper's left giving his team a lifeline in the process.

The goal shifted the momentum into Vasco's favour and with some better finishing, they may have scored a second to apply more pressure to a visibly tiring Colts team. It was Jones who would pop up in the 88th minute to put the game to bed.

After beating his defender to a loose ball over the top, the burly striker calmly poked the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.

TEAMS

Devonshire Colts (4-3-3): J Mills-Furbert — K Darrell (sub C Crichlow, 62min), Y Jones, K Jones, E Smith — M Bean-Brown, J Maybury, T Eve — D Davis (sub: M Gerrado 85), Q Simmons (sub: D Lambe, 65), K Cann. Substitutes not used: M Williams, Q Simmons. Booked: Jones

Vasco da Gama (4-3-3): M Simas — A Paulino, E Viera, T Sousa, R Smith — K Edwards, F Sousa-Pacheco, K Harvey (sub: N DaSilva 56) — M Molta (sub: K Arruda, 79), R Lopes (sub: A Rayner, 52), R Ponte. Substitutes not used: J Cedenio, A Brewster, K Pacheco, R Pacheco, F Coelho. Booked: Sousa-Pacheco

Referee: T Simmons