Magnum Tonic Wine Mashramani Cup Futsal Championship…
The National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue will provide the ideal battlefield this evening when Leopold Street battle Rio All-Stars and Bent Street tackle Kingston in the Magnum Tonic Wine Mashramani Cup Futsal Championship.
Part of the ongoing action
Esan Griffith, the tournament coordinator during pre-match comments, said, “Tonight will decide who will contest the grand finale for the coveted championship and fans can expect a thrilling night of action which has been the hallmark of the tournament since its inception, more so this year which has provided several unlikely results”.
According to Griffith, “The tournament has lived up to and exceeded all expectations with the quality and excitement that has been on display from the opening night. The success of the tournament wouldn’t be possible without the sponsors and more importantly the players and fans who have afforded us the unwavering support from day one”.
The feature clash of the night has the potential to be a classic as traditional giant Leopold Street look to assert their dominance over emerging threat Rio All-Stars.
Due to their experience, Leopold Street will enter the match as the marginal favourite. Offensively, Leopold Street have tallied nine goals to date, five of which occurred in the two previous elimination rounds.
Responsible for this improved output, which produced wins over Gold is Money and Avocado Ballers, are Okeene Fraser, Omallo Williams, Eon Alleyne, Benjamin Opara and Delwyn Fraser. Defensively, the rear-guard has allowed four goals. However, they have only been breached once in the elimination section.
For Rio All-Stars, a place in the finale will solidify their status as a genuine national heavyweight. Their berth to the semi-finals was gained following wins over Back Circle and Future Stars, two formidable sides.
Offensively, Rio All-Stars have tallied seven goals. Jermin Junior, Kelsey Benjamin and Job Caesar have been pivotal on the scoring charts. Defensively, Rio All-Stars have only conceded three times, with no goal allowed in the knockout round which is the overall best record in the event. The likes of Solomon Austin and Cecil Jackman have been vital in this regard.
Meanwhile, “giant killers” Kingston will have an unenviable task ahead when they face off with former champion and tournament favourite Bent Street. Kingston have recorded impressive 10 goals in their campaign. This has produced wins over Sparta Boss and Spartacus, thus earning them the moniker of giant killers.
Rising star Stephon Reynolds leads the attack for Kingston which also featured the veteran forward Nigel Denny. Defensively, Kingston have conceded six times. On the other hand, their impending opponent, Bent Street, are the leading outfit with superior numbers on both ends of the field.
Offensively, Bent Street have recorded a tournament-leading 18 goals. This level of firepower, which recorded wins over Sophia and Mocha, is led by the likes of Daniel Wilson, Colin Nelson, Sheldon Holder, Jermaine Beckles and Adrian Aaron.
Defensively, Bent Street also possess the joint best overall record in the event which concretises their position as the tournament favourite. Prior to the commencement of the two semi-final matches, two exhibition matches will be staged.
Winner of the event will pocket $600,000 and the championship trophy, while the second-place side will collect $400,000 and the respective accolade. On the other hand, the third and fourth place unit will receive $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy.
Among the other sponsors of the event include the National Sports Commission and MVP Sports.
