Futsal powerhouses Sparta Boss and Bent Street will clash in the grand Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF)- Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) Futsal Final on Saturday, after two entertaining semifinal matches on Tuesday night.
Bent Street (Red) approaching the goal
The tournament is currently in its end stage, and judging by the talent and skill on show in Tuesday’s semifinal games, the final will be nothing short of exciting.
The semifinal marked the turn of the futsal age in Guyana, where a number of the older, more experienced players either rode the bench or hung up their boots in pursuit of coaching and mentoring positions. That meant the younger generation of Guyana’s players stood out, with their youth, agility and speed giving them the upper hand.
Sparta Boss’ Job Caesar fends off his opponents
In the first game of the night, Sparta Boss took on Leopold Street and made an easy win of it, 7-2. After a few eager passes, Ryan ‘Bom Bom’ Hackett was the first man to find the back of the net for Sparta in the 6th. Hackett returned in the 10th to add another, as the score remained 2-0 into the half.
In the second, it was a full onslaught by Sparta Boss, with their other players showing up to the party. Eusi Phillips found the back of the net in the 23rd, while ‘Bom Bom’ completed his hattrick in the 24th to push the score to 4-0.
For Sparta, Curtez Kellman (30th, 32nd) registered a brace, while Stephen Alfred (34th) had one goal to his name, to push the team to their lucky number 7.
On the other hand, Benjamin Opara (21st) added the first to Leopold’s tally, while Quincy Adams (39th) netted the only other goal.
Meanwhile, the skillful Darron Niles could not find the back of the net, in spite of many close chances, proving that it just wasn’t his night.
In the following game, Bent Street and Gold is Money found themselves locked in a tight contest. Colin Nelson was the only man to score in the first half, with a goal in the 15th for Bent Street.
One a piece from Cecil Johnson and Marcus Wilson in the 22nd and 26th respectively for Gold is Money, had Bent Street and their supporters on the edge of their seats. That is until Jermin Junor levelled the scores in the 35th.
Heading into extra time, Gold is Money allowed the contest to get away from them, as Randolph Wagner (46th) was the only man to find the back of the net. On the other hand, Daniel Wilson (41st, 49th) pulled off a double strike to hand Bent Street the 4-3 win.
The million-dollar final is scheduled for Saturday, January 8 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue. Aside from the grand prize, the other notable award will be a Hero Motorcycle for the tournament’s MVP. (Jemima Holmes)
