The excitement was palpable at the Retrieve Hard Court on Wednesday evening as the ‘Final Four’ teams were decided in this year’s ExxonMobil Futsal Championship.
With a grand prize of $1 million at stake, teams YMCA, Money Bell, Spaniards, and Hard Knocks left no doubt about their determination to take the title in this tournament organised by New Era Entertainment.
Money Bell’s victory was led by a hat-trick from Stephen Jupiter, which propelled them to a 5-2 win over Bomberz in the quarter-finals.
Additional goals from Nathenial Isaacs and Shane Luckie secured Money Bell’s place in Saturday’s semifinals. Bomberz, with goals from Joshua Flemming and Duquan Samuels, will now watch the tournament from the sidelines.
YMCA, last year’s third-place finisher, held their ground in a thrilling 3-2 win over Silver Bullets. Kevin Gittens scored twice, while Jamal Bentick added a goal to give YMCA the edge.
Silver Bullets, trailing 2-1 at halftime, saw Damian Williams and Colwin Drakes find the net, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
In another intense match, the Spaniards edged out Turf Presidents 3-2 after a scoreless first half. Tyrese Simon’s double for Turf Presidents wasn’t enough, as Malachi Todd matched it with two goals for the Spaniards, with Shaka Louis scoring the decisive goal.
The night’s most anticipated game saw tournament favourites Hard Knocks and Young Gunners go head-to-head, with Hard Knocks narrowly winning 5-4.
Hard Knocks held a strong 3-0 lead at halftime, but Young Gunners mounted a fierce comeback with goals from Marcus Tudor, Omarion Ramsammy, Darian Aron, and Tyrese Azore.
In the end, Hard Knocks overcame thanks to a double from Omar Brewley, goals from Kendolph Lewis, and a clutch finish by Clive Nobrega.
Saturday’s semifinals promise to be exciting, as YMCA takes on Spaniards at 9:00 pm, followed by Money Bell squaring off against Hard Knocks. Two exhibition games will kick off the evening at 7:30 pm.
Meanwhile, Dinar’s Trading continues to show its commitment to sports in the Linden community, particularly football, through its sponsorship of the ExxonMobil Futsal Championship.
At a recent presentation at Dinar’s Trading in Georgetown, company representatives Christopher Singh and Abdulla Yahya presented New Era Entertainment Director Shareef Major with an undisclosed sponsorship amount, underscoring the solid partnership between the two organizations.
New Era Entertainment expressed deep appreciation, noting that Dinar’s Trading’s consistent support has been vital for advancing sports initiatives in Linden.
“We are extremely grateful to have Dinar’s Trading on board once again,” said Shareef Major. “Their continued support over the years has helped us organize successful events and grow futsal in Linden. We look forward to many more years of collaboration.”
