LUCEA, Hanover — Lucea FC’s Olivio Sewell missed a second half penalty kick as his team and Jericho Rangers played out a 0-0 draw as the Captain’s Bakery and Grill Hanover Football Association Major League kicked off at Watson Taylor Park last Saturday.

Sewell, who was a second half substitute, had a chance to give his team full points but saw Jericho’s goalkeeper Victor Morris save the spot kick.

Eight teams are taking part in the league that is being sponsored for the first time in three seasons.

At the opening ceremony that was held prior to the game, the Hanover FA’s president Lorraine Scringer praised Captain Horace Burrell for believing in their football and “putting his money where his mouth is”.

The league is being sponsored to the tune of $1.2 million and according to Wayne Soltau, Financial Controller for the Captain’s Bakery and who represented the sponsors, his company will continue to support football at the grassroots level in all 14 parishes.

Sheridan Samuels, the league director and vice-president of the FA, said the sponsorship package brought Hanover in line with other western parishes that pay out at least $100,000 to the winners of the league.

The runners-up will get $60,000, Samuels said, third place gets $30,000 and fourth place, $15,000.

He told the launch that after the first two rounds the teams will be separated into two groups of four teams each; the top four will play for the title, while the bottom four will play to see who will survive relegation.