Guinness Greatest of the Street Futsal Tournament…
The highly anticipated Guinness Greatest of the Street football tournament got off to a football fanatic’s dream with eight highly competitive games among the big names in and around Georgetown including defending champions, Sparta Boss at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac on Monday night.
The Georgetown Leg of the sixth tournament was off to a brisk start with 16 teams in action
In the main attraction, fans saw defending champions, Sparta Boss being pushed to the limit as they drew the match in full time with Hardina Street but Sparta Boss showed their experience in pressure situations to win the penalty shootout 3-1.
Both teams displayed a solid defence line as they were both scoreless until Jermin Scott saw an opening in the 21’ and immediately flustered the Sparta Boss side, but Sheldon Shepherd held his composure to net the equalizer one minute later, evidently allowing his side to go to penalty where they won.
In the first affair, Queen Street Tiger Bay romped to a 2-0 victory over Fruit Stand, riding on the heroics of Deon Alfred who penetrated the losing side’s defence twice inside seven minutes of play (4th and 6th minute) while fans turned out in their numbers to see the prison team, Camp Street All-Stars snatch a 3-1 victory over Railway Kitty in the second contest. The prisoners controlled the ball for more than 50 percent of the game and capitalized on some good passed to net two quick fire goals past the Kitty side within two minutes apart. Wendell Austin was the first to open the Camp Street account, blasting past Railway’s defence in the 15th minute (15’) before Dwayne Christopher added a second goal in the 17’. Railway however, responded with a goal of their own thanks to shane Cooper (25’) but his celebration was short lived as Steve Bacchus sunk the prisoners’ third in the 27’ to send Kitty packing.
Also, Bent Street unsettled Homes Street Tiger Bay with two late goals. Tiger Bay got off to a dream start, creating the opportunity for Akeem Saul to register their first goal in the 4’, but that would be all they could produce in the knock out affair as they defended well until late in the contest which allowed Bent Street to squeeze two in their goal courtesy of Anthony Abrams (23’) and Stellon David (28’).
Leopold Street disposed on South Ruimveldt in the fourth game of the night with Sheldon Profitt scoring in the 7’ and Orandel Williams in the 14’ as well as defended well to avoid South Ruimveldt to score and eventually end the match 2-0.
Meanwhile, Festival City Warriors destroyed Norton Street Ballers 5-2 with Eon Alleyne scoring twice including a goal in just 16 seconds of play and also in the 5’. Cecil Williams registerd his side’s third goal to have the warriors lead 3-0 until the 20th minute where Joshua Parvatan reacted and scored the Ballers’ first goal. However, Dwayne Lawrence made sure Ballers’ could not build any momentum replying with Warriors’ fourth goal one minute later. Daneil Favourite added his name on the scoreboard as well as he scored the fifth goal for Warriors in the 24’ to send his side to a 5-1 lead while Nigel Decamp would have scored a consolatory goal for the Ballers in the 30’ as his team exited the competition.
Tucville needled Island All-Stars 1-0 as Delon Williams was the only player to manage a goal, when he worked his way to the back of the net in the 24’.
Also in the winners row was the Channel-9 Warriors who piped Shopping Plaza 2-1. The television side was the first to get off the mark when Kevin Barrow secured the first goal within two minutes of play while Stephen Dolphin replied four minutes later with the equalizer. The two sides matched skill for skill as the contest looked to be entering a penalty shootout, however, Joshua Fiffee made good of his opportunity in the 26’ to send the Channel-9 side into the next stage.
The teams will all be vying for over one million dollars in cash and prizes with the first team taking home $500,000 while second, third and fourth will cart off with $200,000, $150,000 and $75,000 respectively.
The tournament continues on Thursday at Demerara Park.
