On a night which featured expected victories for Gold is Money, California Square and Bent Street, Ansa McAl upset highly touted Future Stars on Tuesday in the Stag Beer Easter Futsal Championship.
It was a dogged performance from the East Coast Demerara side as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to secure the unlikely 5-3 win in front of a sizable crowd at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.
Ozia Hernandes and Jeremy Garcia were the architects of the victory, bagging a first half hat-trick and double respectively, which stunned the Future Stars roster and fandom.
Hernandes found the back of the net in the seventh, 11th and 12th minute to give his side a 3-2 advantage, after Future Stars had taken a commanding 2-0 lead following goals from Jamal Cozier and Rondell Bowman in the second and eighth minute.
Garcia would then make his presence felt, adding a double in the 32nd and 33rd minute to secure the outcome, following a William Europe strike in the 15th minute.
Meanwhile, Bent Street edged Tiger Bay 1-0. With the regulation time interval failing to produce a solitary goal, Clive Nobrega made his presence felt to secure the result, converting in the 37th minute.
Similarly, Gold is Money edged Hustlers 3-2. Colin Nelson alongside siblings Michael and Jamal Pedro scored in the eighth, 14th and 15th minute respectively. For the losers, Sunil Logan and Jahaal Greaves netted in the first and 12th minute each.
Also, California Square downed Melanie 4-1. David George bagged a double in the 12th and 19th minute, with the other two goals coming off the boot of Christopher Darlington in the fourth and sixth minute.
The tournament continues today at the same venue with the quarterfinal round. In the opening match, Leopold Street will oppose Gold is Money at 20:00hrs, with Bent Street engaging California Square at 21:00hrs and North East la Penitence battling Back Circle at 22:00hrs.
The final match will pit Sparta Boss against Ansa McAl from 23:00hrs. Winner of the event will pocket $700,000 and a trophy, with the second, third and fourth place finisher receiving $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.
