By Michaelangelo Jacobus
After a four-year hiatus, the Georgetown Zone of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets street football competition kicked off at the National Park last night and fans were fittingly treated to a thriller in the opening match between seasoned campaigners Alexander Village and new kids on the block, Rising Stars.
It was end-to-end action with the Rising Stars emerging victorious courtesy of a late Guinness Goal (a goal scored in the final 3 minutes of the game, worth 2 goals) emphatically slammed home by Daniel Ross at point blank range to drag his team back from 1-2 deficit to a 3-2 win.
Earlier, Alexander Village had forged ahead after just four minutes had elapsed in the game through a Kenroy Demonick strike, however Jamal Williams equalized for the Rising Stars just three minutes later as the teams traded waves of attack in end-to-end action.
(yellow bib) and Alexander Village
Williams would strike yet again in the 9th minute to bag himself a brace and put his side in the lead. Alexander Village looked to shut up shop after going ahead but they looked visibly fatigued heading into the second half. That factor became increasingly apparent and showed two minutes from the full time whistle as Ross capitalized on a short pass in front of the Alexander Village goal to score with aplomb. In the second game of the night, Sophia came out guns blazing against the Bent Street Young Gunners and promptly found the back of the net through Stellon David in the second minute. However, Bent Street found their bearings and equalized in the seventh minute via Ryan Dowding.
Sophia like Alexander Village before them tired quickly and Bent Street went on the offensive, albeit without much success and the halftime whistle found the sides equal.
The second half found both sides trying to exploit short passes but with no success and by the whistle, it remained even and required extra time, with four minutes in each half.
Extra time saw renewed vigour from both sides as they traded counters, however, a disputed referee decision led to a fracas on the pitch and ended with both sides walking off. The organizers told Stabroek Sports that a decision will be made over the weekend.
Up to press time, three games remained to be played, the results of those games will be published in a subsequent report.
Matches will be played tonight from 7 pm at the same venue.
