Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 01, 2014 Sports
Opening night in this year’s national playoffs of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Tournament got off to a scorching start with teams outside of Georgetown sending ominous warnings to their hosts that the path to glory would not be an easy one.
The tournament, which is being played at the Demerara Park among eight teams to select Guyana’s representative to the Caribbean Competition slated for Trinidad and Tobago later this month, saw teams and fans brave a steady downpour of rain to witness the action that was clearly affected by the wet pitch thereby restricting the usually entertaining style of most of the finalists.
Nevertheless, 2014 champions of Linden Eagles and Georgetown fourth place finisher Albouystown ‘B’, were the only teams to come through the night unscathed on the opening night of action which kicked off at the Demerara Car Park last Friday night.
Among those witnessing the first night of action were Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony and Guyana Football Federation President Christopher Matthias along with sponsor’s representatives Sales and Marketing Executive Carlton Joao, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste and Communications Manager Troy Peters, who all made remarks prior to the start of proceedings.
The eight teams that were placed into two groups of four to contest the round robin/knockout action did not disappoint the fans, especially the two teams that remained unbeaten at the end of the night.
Melanie ‘A’, who one week ago was crowned East Coast of Demerara champions, started off with a 4-1 victory over Stevedore Housing Scheme, Georgetown’s runner-up team.
Skipper Dwight Peters got a brace in the 4th and 14th minutes, supported by solitary strikes from Shermon Fraser (10th) and Jamal George (28th), while Gavin Blackman’s 7th minute strike was the lone response for Stevedore Housing Scheme.
In the second game, Queen Street of Tiger Bay showed admirable resolve on three occasions to prevail 4-3 on penalty kicks against Wismar Housing Scheme after regulation period failed to separate a 3-3 deadlock.
Solid attacking play from the Linden based team saw them take the lead in the second minute, courtesy of Andrew Chester’s strike, which was nullified eight minutes later by Queen Street/Tiger Bay, thanks to Deon Alfred’s goal.
As the heavens opened up and the rains came down, Wismar, through Rawle ‘Boney man’ Gittens, took back the lead in the 8th minute, only to see James Meredith snatch the equalizer once again in the 10th minute for Queen Street who placed third in the Georgetown leg of the competition.
At halftime, the scoreline read 2-2 and one minute into the second half, Keon Sears sent Wismar back into the lead with his goal, but urged on by their supporters who ran out of the shelter to witness the action in the rain, Queen Street got the equalizer in the 29th minute, thanks to Jeffrey Newton.
In the third game, Eagles who defeated Retrieve Unknowns to take the top prize in Linden early last month, took revenge for Wismar with their 4-1 drubbing over Hope Street/Tiger Bay, with goals from Delon McAllister (4th), Delon Charter (12th), Renee Allicock (29th) and Deon Charter (30th), while Dennis Caldeira pulled one back for Hope Street in the 25th minute.
The final game of the first round ended 3-1 in favor of Albouystown ‘B’ over Retrieve Unknown, with Roy Cassou scoring a double for the victors in the 2nd and 11th minute backed by Chris Marshall’s 14th minute goal, even as Shakiel Charles pulled one back in the 16th minute for Retrieve Unknown.
Following the Guinness halftime break, the second round commenced with Eagles’ 1-0 win over Melanie ‘A’, with Deon Charter scoring the game’s lone goal in the 5th minute, followed by Retrieve Unknown’s 5-4 penalty kicks win from the halfway mark over Wismar, following a nil all deadlock.
Hope Street/Tiger Bay rebounded from their first round loss to defeat Stevedore Housing Scheme 2-0, with Rensford Coleridge (17th) and an own goal two minutes later accounting for the win, before Albouystown ‘B’ culminated the night’s action with their 4-3 sudden death penalty kicks win over Queen Street/Tiger Bay, after a 1-1 scoreline.
Marlon Nedd scored for the victors in the 7th minute, with Alpha Fletchman responding for Queen Street in the 15th minute, just before the whistle sounded to culminate the action in the first half and with no more goals being scored in the second period, penalty kicks was summoned and Albouystown ‘B’ was the last standing.
The action continued last evening at the same venue, before the finals today.
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Apr 19, 2024
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