Back Circle football team was booted from the inaugural Guyana Beverage Company Busta football championships losing to North Ruimveldt by a 2-1 score line on Tuesday at the Georgetown Football Club ground, Bourda.
Needing only a draw in their final group match to secure their berth in the next round, Back Circle would fall behind in the 10th minute as Nickosie Barker netted, lashing his effort into the roof of the goal from within the right side of the penalty box.
Devon Harris would then level the score line eighth minutes onward for the East Ruimveldt based side, placing his effort into the back of the net after collecting a pass from the centre of the field, within the left side of the box.
However, North Ruimveldt would have the final say in the showdown as veteran utility man Gerald Gittens found the back of the net in the 28th minute, volleying his left footed effort from the left side of the field into the lower right hand corner.
In a battle for the top spot in group-B, Sparta Boss overcame Alexander Village 3-2. Sheldon Holder opened the scoring in a fortuitous manner for Sparta in the ninth minute as his right footed effort from within his own half, went comically though the hands of the keeper and into the net.
Leon Yaw would then pull one back for Alexander Village in the 16th minute, placing his effort into the lower left corner from within the right side of the box, levelling the score line in the process.
Sparta Boss would then re-establish their lead five minutes onward as Shepherd netted his second, stabbing the ball into the middle of the goal, after receiving a fortuitous left sided pass unchallenged inside the centre of the area
The East La Penitence outfit would then increase their advantage one minute later compliments of a Dennis Edwards attempt into the right hand corner from within the left side of the penalty box.
Alexander Village would eventually cut the deficit to one in the 24th minute as Shem Porter etched his name on the scorer’s sheet, bundling the ball over the line into the right corner from within the right side of the area, following a left sided pass.
The fifth matchup of the night saw West Front Road-Gold is Money and Queen Street Tiger Bay tussling for a 1-1 draw. Hubert Pedro opened the scoring for West Front Road in the 14th minute with one of the tourney’s candidate for best goal.
Receiving the ball on the left flank within his own half, Pedro would evade the onrushing challenges of two defenders before cutting across the body of another within the centre of the field, only to rifle a right footed shot into the lower left corner from the right side.
Nonetheless, Queen Street would earn a share of the spoils as Deon Alfred scored fortuitously, lashing his left footed effort through the hands of the keeper down the middle of the net, from the left side of the field.
In the other results, North East La Penitence clinched their berth to the next round, defeating Holmes Street Tiger Bay 3-2. Shaquille Brown recorded a double in the first and 12th minutes while Omari Wilson supported with a 19th minute effort. On target in the loss were Jahaal Greaves and Joel Bond in the 10th and 23rd minutes correspondingly. Meanwhile Sophia and Durban Street battled to a 2-2 draw in the evening’s opener.
Dwayne Lowe led Sophia with a double in the fourth and 12th minutes while Jermaine Gilbert and Quincy Ashby scored second half goals for Durban Street in the 23rd second and 30th minutes respectively.
Similarly California Square and Charlestown battled to a 3-3 stalemate in the fourth fixture of the night. Dillon Kelly scored a double for California Square in the eighth and 12th minutes while Nash Moe scored in the 15th minute. Registering goals for Charlestown in the fifth, sixth and 25th minutes were Troy Heyliger, Shane Morris and Andrew Gibson respectively.
The 16 teams that will be advancing to the next round are Sparta Boss, Alexander Village, West Front Road, Queen Street Tigerbay, North East La Penitence, Broad Street, Cross Street, West Back Road, Albouystown, Bent Street, Ballers, Sophia, North Ruimveldt, Globe Yard, Festival City and Kitty Weavers.
The opening stage of the round of 16 section will commence today at the same venue. In the opening matchup at 20:45hrs, Cross Street will faceoff with Alexander Village while Ballerz will oppose Queen Street Tiger Bay from 21:30hrs. In the final two fixtures of the night, West Front Road will oppose North East La Penitence from 22:15hrs while Festival City will oppose Albouystown in the feature contest at 23:00hrs.
Victors of the tourney will receive the championship trophy and $600,000. Meanwhile the second, third and fourth placed sides will receive $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the respective accolade.
Also the respective winner of the groups will receive $25,000 while the second, third and fourth finishers within the group will receive $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.
