Pouderoyen Showstoppers and West Side Ballers will contest the inaugural finale of the Guinness of the Streets West Demerara Edition following contrasting victories over Patentia Street Ballers and Raiders respectively on Tuesday.
The home side dismissed Patentia Street Ballers by a 3-0 score line in front of a large gathering at the Pouderoyen Tarmac while West Side Ballers edged Raiders 2-1 on penalty kicks after normal and extra time finished 1-1. They will now faceoff in the grand finale at the same venue on Saturday.
In the feature contest of the night, Showstoppers broke the early deadlock in the fourth minute as Dexroy Adams netted from the penalty mark after the Patentia defender was struck by an initial shot within the penalty area.
The hosts would then extend their lead in the 13th minute as Adams sealed his double, finishing down the middle of the goal following a one-on-one situation with the final defender. Their place in the grand finale would then be sealed in the 18th minute as Nathan Allicock scored.
Racing down the right side of the field, Allicock would calmly slot his effort in the back of the net, after receiving a left sided pass from Adams following a two-on-one situation with the final defender.
The earlier semi-final showdown saw West Side Ballers defeating Raiders via the penalty shoot-out. Tasked with taking the first strike, Alonzo Bowman of Raiders would convert from the mark as he fired his right footed strike to the right side of the goal.
West Side Ballers would quickly respond in their first attempt as Anthony Harding netted with a left footed strike. It would all go downhill for Raiders in the second round as Dexter Marshall lashed his attempt wide of the left upright.
Prince Gilkes would then capitalize to push West Side Ballers ahead, clinically converting his effort into the back of the net. Needing to score in the final round title to keep their hopes alive, Andrew Birch would seal his side’s exit as he placed his strike wide right of the target.
Prior to the penalty shoot-out, Morgan Denny gave West Side Ballers the initial lead, stabbing his effort into the back of the net from just outside the area, after a right sided Harding pass evaded the legs of the defenders.
However Dexter Marshall would level the score line for Raiders in the 34th minute, slotting his effort into the left corner after collecting a pass from the right side of the field to force the fixture into its eventual conclusion.
In the earlier exhibition matchups, the Media crushed the Promoters by a 4-2 margin. Nicquan Nestor led the way with a double in the 13th and 18th minutes while Dwayne Lindy and Jevon Rodrigues netted solo efforts in the 11th and 14th minutes respectively.
Also securing a comprehensive win was West Coast Veterans who downed West Bank Veterans 4-0 compliments of a Ryan Heeyes hat-trick in the second, fourth and 12th minutes. Completing the score with a solo strike in the 10th minute was Eustace Joseph.
The final exhibition matchup saw Banks DIH Limited and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) playing to a 1-1 stalemate. Keon McKenzie opened the scoring in the fourth minute for Banks DIH while Jason Waldron scored for GPL in the 12th minute.
Winners of the event will receive $300,000 and the championship trophy while the second place side will collect $150,000 and the runners-up accolade. The third and fourth place finishers will collect $100,000 and $75,000 respectively
