It was a night highlighted by upset victories when the round-of-16 stage of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets continued on Wednesday at the National Cultural Centre tarmac on Mandela and Hadfield streets.
North Ruimveldt set the plan in motion in front of the largest viewership to date as they booted former champs Hope Street Tigerbay from the event via a 1-0 margin in the third matchup.
Rickford Jones proved to be the unlikely hero in the fourth minute, rifling his effort into the back of the net after pouncing on a loose ball in the middle of the field.
Subsequently falling victim to their expectation was Albouystown-A, who lost to Globe Yard 2-1 on penalty kicks after normal time concluded nil-all.
The first round of the penalty shoot-out would see the score remain 0-0 as both sides missed the target completely. Renault Fraser would then push Albouystown-A into the lead as he netted their second attempt from the spot.
However Globe Yard would quickly fire back in the shape of Kevin Lewis who placed his right-footed attempt down the centre of the goal.
Needing to score in the third and final round to put the pressure back on Globe Yard, Albouystown-A’s Devon Dooker would fire his attempt horribly wide of the mark, gifting Globe Yard the perfect chance to claim the win.
With the majority of the crowd screaming for him to miss, Sherwin Grimes would silence the partisan mass as he clinically dispatched his side’s final effort to seal their berth into the next round.
Continuing the trend of the evening in the sixth matchup was Albouystown-B who squeaked past previous Georgetown and National champions Back Circle by a 1-0 score line.
Marlon Nedd netted the game winner in the 32nd minute of extra time with a simple finish down the centre of the goal, after fortuitously receiving a left-sided Roy Cassou pass just outside the penalty area that evaded the outstretched leg of the final defender.
The fourth and final upset of the night would be realized as Festival City Warriors blanked traditional giants Alexander Village 2-0.
Eon Alleyne gave the Warriors the perfect start in the very first minute, stabbing his effort into the left corner ahead of the advancing final defender Quincy Bourne after pouncing on a loose back pass from Leon Yaw.
The victory would then be completed in the 15th minute compliments of a first time Dwayne Lawrence right-sided attempt to the left corner, after receiving a pass from the centre of the field.
In the fourth fixture, West Front Road sealed their berth to the final eight, downing Island All-Stars 1-0. Colin Nelson found the winner in the 23rd minute with a left-footed dagger down the middle of the net from the centre of the field.
Also sealing a berth to the next round was East Ruimveldt-based unit Sparta Boss who brushed aside South Sophia by a 2-0 margin.
Sheldon Shepherd broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a fortuitous finish into the empty goal, after the ball fell into his path after being tackled by the onrushing final defender in the centre of the area.
The game would then be put to bed five minutes later through a Devon Millington shot into the centre of the net, after receiving a left-sided Shepherd pass following a two-on-one situation with the final defender.
The second fixture of the matchday saw Cross Street edging West Back Road 1-0 on sudden death kicks after normal time finished 1-1. Akeem Fitzpatrick initially gave West Back Road the lead compliments of a 30th- minute effort in the second extra time interval.
However Cross Street would push the matchup into penalty kicks as Ronaldo Dover netted four minutes onward. In other results, Leopold Street defeated Festival City Street Fighters 3-2 on sudden death kicks after normal time ended 0-0.
The action is slated to continue on Sunday December 7th at the Demerara Park Tarmac with the quarterfinal round. Leopold Street will face off with West Front Road in the first matchup from 21:00hrs while Cross Street will match skills with Festival City Warriors in the second fixture at 21:30hrs.
The third engagement will witness North Ruimveldt battling Globe Yard from 22:00hrs while Albouystown-B and Sparta Boss will collide in the final quarterfinal at 22:30hrs.
