‘One Guyana’ King and Queen of the Sand Football…: Goal IQ to battle LA Ballers (Queens); Speightland to face Iconic Ballers (Kings) for championship glory on Saturday

Earning the right to contest finals of the 3rd edition of the One Guyana King and Queen of the Sand Football championships were female defending champions Speightland, who toppled the GDF in a humdinger of an encounter, while their opponent, Iconic Strikers, eased past Hururu.
The male showdown for championship honours will see Goal IQ and LA Ballers, who both defeated their opponents by identical 4-2 margins at the People’s Progressive Party Office Ground, located at Five Corner, Industrial Area.
Action in the female segment was predicted to be very fierce in the second semi-final between defending champions Speightland and the GDF. It turned out to be exactly a ding-dong battle, with the former reinforcing their artillery with the acquisition of USA-based Annalisa Vincent, and this master move was the difference between the two sides on the night.
GDF drew first blood when one of their leading players, Glendy Lewis, scored the first of a double in the 4th minute. But they {GDF} could have hardly settled when Vincent banged in the first of her helmet trick, and it was game on.
Enjoying the end-to-end action were the many fans on hand, as they knew that Speightland had to bring their A+ game to the park if they wanted to be in the championship match, which has at stake $800,000 for the champions.
Neither team relented as the goal exchanges ebbed and flowed as the game matured. Vincent was on target again in the 9th minute, which handed Speightland a slim lead, but that was neutralised in the 14th minute when Lewis completed her double.
Jalade Trim then inked her name on the score sheet for the GDF in the 16th minute with the first of her brace, but one minute later that advantage was cancelled out when Vincent netted her third goal, and it was a tied affair again at 3-3.
Vincent completed her four goals in the 20th minute to give Speightland the lead yet again, but four minutes later, that too was cancelled out when Trim scored for the second time, and the score was locked again, 4-4.
And just when it seemed that the match was destined for extra time, Speightland’s Nikita Wayne fired past the GDF custodian in the 27th to seal a memorable and hard-fought win and a place in the final, where they will no doubt start as favourites to defend their title. What also makes them sweet for the defending champions is the fact that they ended as the second-best team in Group A, which was won by their opponents on Saturday, an opportunity to set the record straight.
Iconic Ballers continued their unbeaten run when they easily brushed aside Hururu, 3-0. Thanks to two goals off the boot of Akeelah Vancooten in the 15th and 27th minutes, Amanda McKenzie tucked in the other in the 29th minute.
In the battle for the championship places amongst the male teams, LA Ballers have continued their impressive run as the only undefeated male team when they turned back the challenge of Hardknocks, 4-2.
They were always in control of proceedings despite Hardknocks holding out for 20 minutes, but once their defence was breached, LA Ballers raced to a 4-0 advantage before their opponent could have responded. Tyric McAlister broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, after which Marcus Tudor fired in three goals (23rd, 24th, and 27th minutes). Colwin Drakes in the 30th minute and Deon Charter three minutes later scored for the losers.
Goal IQ were also large and in charge of their clash against Spaniards, leading them to the championship match, which has at stake 1.5M for the winner. Shane Haynes was the man of the match as he blasted in all four goals for Goal IQ, which came in the 2nd, 14th, 37th and 40th minutes.
Mark Jahlu (16th) and Shane Lonke (19th) had drawn the Spaniards level, but Haynes reverted to his goal-scoring ability after taking a brief break to nail his final two goals, which hadn’t received any response from the Spaniards.
A mouth-watering finale is on the cards for Saturday.