Home Sports Mashramani Street Football Championships: North East beat Back Circle B to claim...
Defending champions Stabroek Ballers continued their courageous title defence in the Mashramani Street Football Championships Saturday night at the National Park with a gritty and dramatic victory against the formidable Bent Street.
Experienced campaigner Sese Norville missed the first of three penalty kicks for Bent Street in a game that ended 2-2 after regular and extra time, as Stabroek Ballers delivered a perfect performance from the penalty spot to win 3-2 and ensure their place in the semi-finals set for this Saturday at the same venue.
“It is probably the first penalty kick I missed in my entire career,” Norville said after the game. Bevo Marks put Bent Street up early in the game with a second-minute strike before Gerry Burnette responded five minutes later to equalise.
Shemar Welch gave Stabroek Ballers the lead in the 32nd minute, but Adrian Aaron responded for Bent Street three minutes later to equalise. Regular and extra-time could not produce a winner in the exciting encounter that drew loud gasps and cheers from onlookers who showed up to support their teams.
To continue the high drama at the renowned facility in Georgetown, Lennox Cort dismantled Back Circle B’s defence twice to put his team, North East on his back and get them to their first major final-four berth in some time.
Cort scored in the sixth and 30th minutes to deliver a 2-0 win for North East, who clearly showed up with their supporters to ensure enough encouragement in a game they entered as underdogs given the recent performances of Back Circle B in street football.
North East will play the defending champs Stabroek Ballers this Saturday night at the National Park for a place in the final, which will also be held Saturday night. The other semi-final will feature Taliban against Goal is Money as both teams established their superiority in the quarter-finals.
Taliban delivered a 3-0 drubbing of West Demerara-based Showstoppers. Carl Griffith scored in the third and 18th minutes while Omar Jones found the net in the 30th minute for Taliban.
Goal is Money also booked their semi-final berth with a comfortable 2-0 win against Ztekk. Jaleel Hamilton scored in the 10th minute while Tyler Murray found the net in the 17th minute to put Goal is Money through to the final four.
The winner of the tournament will pocket $500,000, second place $300,000, third place $200,000 and fourth place $100,000. Trophies will be given to teams placing first to third while the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament gets $50,000 and a trophy.
In the Plate Play-offs, Albouystown beat Broad Street 2-1, with Akeem Griffith finishing a penalty in the fourth minute and Ezekiel Telford scoring in the 18th minute for Albouystown. DeAndre Linton scored for Broad Street in the 12th minute.
Festival City then edged Laing Avenue on penalty kicks after a nil-all stalemate. Festival City and Albouystown advanced to this Saturday’s Plate Playoffs that will also feature the four losing quarterfinalists. The top three finishers in the Plate Play-offs will split a total purse of $100,000 while each will be rewarded with a case of Magnum Tonic Wine.
