Tournament favourites and futsal heavyweights Sparta Boss and Future Stars kept up their winning forms with respective wins in the second round of group stage action on Saturday night at the National Gymnasium.
Action in the National Futsal Cup competition
It took a Sparta Boss late goal from Eusi Phillips to make that team edge past the dangerous Swag Entertainment for a 3-2 victory. In end-to-end action, Sparta Boss initiated proceedings against Swag through a fourth-minute goal from Sheldon Shepherd, before Shane Luckie struck Swag’s equalizer in the sixth minute.
However, Sparta’s Calvin Moore responded almost immediately, just a minute later, to hand his side a 2-1 lead going into the halftime break.
Upon resumption of play, Deon Carter brought Swag back on level terms with Sparta with a sweetly struck goal in the 14th minute. Swag then seemed to be taking the game to Sparta in the hunt for a winner, but Sparta showed why they are considered one of Guyana’s best in the local Futsal scene, as they hit Swag on the counter, with Eusi Phillips netting the winner in the 19th minute.
Future Stars, touted as the next best thing in futsal, continued their merry way by dispatching newcomers New Market Street 4-2. A double from the ominous Jermain Junior, along with goals from Captain Keiron Solomon and Jamal Cozier, ensured this side walk away top of their group at the final whistle.
Junior scored in the very first minute of the game to take an early lead for Future Stars, but Dwayne Lawrence had other ideas when he equalized for New Market Street in the fifth minute.
The fresh faces on the block held firm, but Jamal Cozier opened the floodgates in the 12th minute with Future Stars scoring three goals in the space of four minutes. Solomon netted in the 14th minute, while Junior sealed his double in the 16th minute.
Orin Moore would score a late consolation goal for New Market Street in the 18th minute.
The African Team suffered a second consecutive defeat, this time at the hands of Broad Street, who rebounded from their loss last week.
A brace from Daniel Favourite and a goal apiece from Rocky Gravesande, Devon Johnson, Ryan Dowden and Akosi Jarvis helped Broad Street to get past the Africans, whose two goals came from siblings Benjamin and Kenneth Opara.
Albouystown ‘A’ came from behind to draw with North Ruimveldt 2-2 after fulltime in a highly entertaining game, but needed penalty kicks to walk away with maximum points.
North Ruimveldt were two up, thanks to Joshua Brown and Eon Alleyne; but Albouystown equalized, courtesy of a Travis Martin double, before holding their nerve to win the penalty shootout.
Back Circle made light work of MBK All-Stars with a 4-0 victory. Goals came from Selwyn Williams, Stephon McLean, Runel Gordon and Jermain Beckles.
The plummet of Dave and Celina’s All-Stars continued with a Hustlers’ 4-2 defeat, thanks to a brace from Amoniki Rogers and a goal each from Josiah Charles and Kwame Holder.
The goal scorers for the All-Stars were Keon Sears and Rawle Gittens.
Silver Bullets handed West Front Road’s Goal is Money a tame 3-1 defeat through Damion Williams’s two goals, while Jermain Samuels had one. Scoring for the losers was Jamal Pedro.
Leopold Street edged Tucville in a nail-biter, as Okeene Fraser and Sheldon Profit had a goal apiece for the victors, while Leon Richardson scored for Tucville.
The final round of group stage matches will be played on Tuesday night at the National Gymnasium.
Fixtures-Tuesday October 10th:
Swag Entertainment vs African Team at
19:00hrs
MBK All-Stars vs Tucville at 19:30hrs
Hustlers vs New Market Street at 20:00hrs
Future Stars vs Dave and Celina’s at 20:30hrs
Gold is Money vs North Ruimveldt at 21:00hrs
Albouystown ‘A’ vs Silver Bullets at 21:30hrs
Back Circle vs Leopold Street at 22:00hrs
Sparta Boss vs Broad Street at 22:30hrs
