When the inaugural One Guyana/Kashif and Shanghai Futsal championship kicked off almost one month ago with a historic 64 teams in the fray, it would have been anybody’s guess as to who the final four teams would be.
The guessing period is over with Sparta Boss, the perennial bosses of futsal, set to play Back Circle ‘A’, who can be considered one of the top exponents of this format.
Another top futsal side, Bent Street ‘A’ will be throwing all they’ve got at the Brazilian/Guyanese combo of players that have been named, Road Warriors and have looked a clinical unit that is capable of upstaging all and sundry in their march to the top prize of two-million dollars.
The crowd-pleasing and exciting brand of futsal being executed by Road Warriors is exactly what central teams and those around Guyana must be aiming to learn, going forward.
Nonetheless, Bent Street ‘A’ has what it takes to pull off what will be considered the biggest win of their playing career if they can achieve it.
They’ll be banking on the experience of senior Golden Jaguars Daniel Wilson, Colin Nelson, Pernel Schultz, Marcus Wilson, Sese Norville in goal, Jamaine Beckles, Jobe Ceasar, Clive Nobrega, Daniel Ross and Adrian Aaron.
In reaching this final four, Bent Street ‘A’ narrowly got past Region 9 (2-1), Spaniard (3-2), Stabroek ‘B’ (5-2) and Team Cruel (6-3).
Their opponents, however, seem very versed in the universal style of futsal and have been schooling each opponent thus far in their march.
Their first win was a 10-2 drubbing of Footsteppers who were hardly allowed to step on the ball.
Next up they clipped Victoria Eagles 8-3, trounced Ballers United of Berbice 10-0 and humbled Gold Is Money 9-1 in their quarter-final showdown.
Road Warriors will be led by Wendrecky De Souza, who is the second highest goal scorer of the championship (11 goals), Matheus De Souza (8-goals), goalkeeper Erilson Cadete, who has one goal and plays out of his position regularly, Hildemir Filho, Dionathas Pereira, Daniel Alves, Teon Stewart, Jaleei Alcindor and Chai Williams.
The first semi-final brings together Sparta Boss, who boasts a star-studded line-up that includes a number of current and former senior Golden Jaguars in captain Jermaine Junor, Omari Glasgow, goalkeeper Omar Jones, Curtez Kellman, Ryan Hackett, Darron Niles, Eusi Phillips, Carl Griffith, Kelsey Benjamin and Nicholas McArthur.
Spart,a in mapping their way to this stage, hammered Melanie 12-0, got past Festival City 7-4, defeated Bent Street ‘B’ 5-2 and eased past Stabroek Ballers ‘A’ 6-3.
Their opponents Back Circle ‘A’, while not boasting such big names, have been holding their own and will be led by the championship’s leading goal scorer with 22 goals, Bevney Marks.
He will receive able support from his goalkeeper who has only been beaten thrice in four matches, Azariel Davis.
Ravin Naughton, Akil Plass, Cecil Jackman, Mikel Garraway, Stephon Reynolds, and Darren Benjamin will lend support as the big prize is just two matches away.
Back Circle ‘A’ boasts the best goal record in the championship to date and has only conceded three goals while first in the most of any team, 49 in four matches as a result of a 12-0 beating of Essequibo, 16-0 thrashing of Vryheid’s Lust, almost similar score against Timehri Warriors, the latter scoring once and a 5-2 win over North East.
Only time will tell who the two teams battling in the final for the top prize of two million, the loser also walking away with a handsome one million. The respective losers will collide in the third-place match with $500,000 and $200,000 at stake.
Meanwhile, the female segment of the championship will also see the finalists being decided when the final leg of the home and away format is contested.
The respective winners on Boxing night, Lady Canaimas 11-0 over The Lioness and Lady Royals with a 7-0 triumph against Tucville Terrorists seems like to bolster that aggregate on their way to the final.
The losers will play for third. The winning team will pocket G$200,000, losing finalist G$100,000, third place G$60,000 and fourth place G$40,000.
New Year’s Night schedule:
Lady Royals vs Tucville Terrorists 20:00h
Lady Canaimas vs The Lioness 20:30h
Exhibition Game Brazil vs Venezuela 21:00h
Back Circle ‘A’ vs Sparta Boss 22:00h
Road Warriors vs Bent Street ‘A’ 23:30h
