Despite securing a 5-4 win over Agricola in their final group-A fixture, Queen Street Tiger Bay failed to join the likes of Sparta Boss and Festival City in the knockout round as they were bundled out of the inaugural GT Beer Futsal Championship on Sunday.
With Festival City downing Kitty Weavers 5-3 in their final group-A matchup, Queen Street Tiger Bay needed to win by at least a two-goal margin at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to seal their berth.
Similarly, Agricola only needed a draw to progress to the next round. The matchup started off brightly for Queen Street as Darren Harris found the lower left hand corner with a right sided shot, following a counterattack emanating from his defensive third.
It then became 2-0 in the fifth minute as Jason Fredericks scored with a right-footed attempt from the left side of the field into the centre of the net.
Queen Street then secured their third goal of the fixture as Fredericks netted once more in the 18th minute, slotting home unchallenged into the net after collecting a right-side pass from Harris within the penalty area.
The match equation would then become complicated as Travis Welch scored in the 21st minute with a right-side shot into the centre of the goal.
Queen Street’s hopes and lead was then reduced further as Kacy John scored one minute later, blasting his effort from the left side of the field through the hands and legs of the goalkeeper and into the centre of the net.
Further misery was heaped on Queen Street Tiger Bay as the East Bank of Demerara unit equalized the fixture in the 24th minute in the form of Anthony Rollins, who, upon cutting in from the right flank, thumped a powerful effort into the lower right corner.
Rattled by their concession of three goals in the space of few minutes, Queen Street commenced another assault and was rewarded in the 27th minute as Harris scored, cutting across the body of the ‘keeper within the left of the box before blasting his effort into the net.
The Georgetown side quickly grabbed the vital fifth goal one minute later compliments of an Alpha Fletchman effort down the centre of the goal after being in a two-on-one situation with the advancing shot-stopper.
Needing only to see out the remaining two minutes to clinch their berth in the next round, Queen Street would fail at their task as Rollins netted in the 29th minute, blasting a right footed shot which took a slight deflection and settled into the right corner.
With the win, Queen Street finished on three points and a goal difference of -2 while Agricola finished on three points and a goal differential of -4. Kitty Weavers finished with three points and a goal difference of -2.
However, Kitty Weavers claimed the spot in the knockout round due to the head-to-head regulation after defeating Queen Street Tiger Bay 5-4 in their earlier group meeting. In the clash of the unbeaten group-B sides, Sparta Boss dismissed Albouystown 4-3.
Dennis Edward netted the opener for Sparta Boss in the sixth minute, slotting home into the empty net after pouncing on a loose ball within the box following a moment of miscommunication between defender and the goalkeeper.
Eusi Phillips then added to their score two minutes later, rifling a first-time effort into the roof of the right corner after racing onto a pass from a free kick on the left side of the field.
It then became 3-0 in the 10th minute as Deon Alfred, upon latching onto a lobbed pass on the left side of the box, volleyed his effort into the centre of the net.
Staring down a three-goal deficit heading into the second period, Albouystown reduced the deficit to one in the 21st minute through a Devon Dooker right side shot.
Nonetheless, Sparta Boss restored their three goal advantage in the 26th minute as Alfred netted with a well-placed left-footed shot into the centre of the net.
Albouystown eventually pulled one back in the 27th minute as Marlon Nedd etched his name on the scorer’s sheet, skipping past marker in the centre of the field before rifling his effort into the lower right hand corner.
They would then pull within one goal of the score in the final minute of the 30-minute encounter as goal-keeper Devon Cassius, upon intercepting a pass, raced across the centre of the field before blasting his effort into the left hand side of the net.
Festival City then downed Kitty Weavers 5-3. Daniel Favourite netted a double in the 12th and 28th minutes while Dwayne Lawrence recorded the fastest goal of the event in 18 seconds. Eon Alleyne scored in the second and Solomon Austin netted in the 18th minute.
For the losers, Nigel Denny netted in the 11th and 21st minutes while an own goal completed the result.
Alexander Village ended their campaign on a positive note, crushing Globe Yard 7-2 to earn their first win. Doubles from Shem Porter in the second and 28th, Leon Yaw in the 12th and 29th and Delon Williams in the 24th and 26th led the assault.
Adding to the score line with a 20th minute strike was Jermaine Junior. The duo of Kevon Gibbs and Lionel Grimes found the back of the net in the fourth and 15th minutes correspondingly for the losing team.
The action is billed to continue tomorrow at the same venue with the final group fixtures. Winner of the event will collect $500,000 and trophy while the second, third and fourth place finishers will collect $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 and the correspondingly accolade.
Other sponsors of the event include the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) of Guyana and Trophy Stall.
