New Amsterdam (NA) Kings will oppose Unruly Gang while East Bank Gunners will tackle Manchester Boys in the semi-final round of the inaugural Guinness of the Streets Berbice edition following contrasting wins on Saturday. The quarter-final round which was played in a group format at the NA Ferry Tarmac, saw each team playing two games.
Group-A featured Canje, East Bank Gunners, Unruly Gang and Corriverton while Group-B consisted of NA Kings, Manchester Boys, Spartans and Courtland Stars.
A win during normal time was worth three points while a drawn fixture during the normal time interval was worth a point to each team. However, the winner of the resulting penalty shoot-out would earn a bonus point. The top two teams from each group progressed to the final four stage.
In the first round of the section, New Amsterdam Kings set the early tempo, dismantling Courtland Stars 6-1. It was all about Adrian Adams in the fixture as he netted a helmet-trick on either side of half-time. Adams opened the scoring in the third minute, slotting home down the centre of the net from the left side after collecting a right sided pass from sibling Leonardo Adams.
He would then double his tally three minutes onward, lashing his effort into the back of the empty net from the centre of the field after intercepting an attempted goal-kick.
His hat-trick would then be completed in the ninth minute with a placed shot down the middle of the goal after collecting a right side pass. Leonardo Adams would then cap off the first half blitz in the 10th minute with a powerful shot down the centre following a one-on-one situation. Samuel Johnson would then get into the goal scoring mood as he netted in the 12th minute. Adams would complete his haul two minutes onward with a simple finish into the empty net from just outside the area. Netting a consolation goal was Michael Cummings in the 19th minute. Similarly registering a win in the opening section was East Bank Gunners who defeated Canje 2-0.
Jermin John opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a shot from just behind the half way marker in the centre of the field, after spotting the goal unguarded following a counterattack.
Andrew Cameron would then seal the win one minute later, walking the ball into the net from the left side of the field, after collecting a right side pass following a two-on-one situation.
Also registering a win was Unruly Gang who defeated Corriverton 2-1 on penalty kicks after normal time ended 1-1. Nolen Richard gave Corriverton the lead in the fourth minute with a left sided strike into the right corner.
However, Devon James would equalise in the ninth minute, placing his effort into the right corner from the right side of the field. Completing the round with a win was Manchester Boys who defeated Spartans 1-0 on penalty kicks after normal time ended 0-0. Entering the second round with three points were NA Kings and East Bank Gunners while Unruly Gang and Manchester Boys had two points each. Securing one point were Spartans and Corriverton while Canje and Courtland Stars were without a point.
East Bank Gunners opened the second round and clinched their berth to the final four, defeating Corriverton by a 1-0 score through a Ronaldo August strike in the 15th minute. NA Kings would then seal their place in the semi-final round downing Spartans 4-0. Once more Adrian Adams was the destroyer of the opposing rearguard as he registered a hat-trick in his second showing of the night to seal the win. Adams opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a left sided attempt down the centre of the goal.
Adams would make it 2-0 three minutes later, passing into an empty net after stealing the ball from the final defender. Leonardo Adams would then add to his side’s advantage in the 10 minute with a finish to the right corner. The result would then be sealed in the 15th minute as Adams netted his third with a first time effort into the left corner from the right side of the field. Unruly Gang would then join the Gunners and Kings in the next round as they defeated Canje 3-1.
Delroy Ferdinand broke the deadlock in favour of Unruly Gang, striking his right sided effort into the back of the goal in the fifth minute. Canje would then level the score in the ninth minute in the form of Sherwin Parris, who unleashed a powerful right footed effort from the centre of the field into the back of the net, after cutting in from the left flank.
James would push Unruly Gang back into the lead in the 18th minute, intercepting a pass from a goal-kick before finishing down the centre. The win would then be sealed in the 20th minute as Kelvin Joseph scored. The final matchup of the night saw Manchester Boys crushing Courtland Stars 6-0 led by a hat-trick from Carlos Mingo in the 10th, 12th and 14th minutes. Recording a double in the 17th and 20th minute was Trendy Grey while Keron Grenville commenced the assault in the third minute.
At the end of the second round, NA Kings and East Bank Gunners topped their groups with six points while Unruly Gang and Manchester finished second with five points each. Ending with one point were Spartans and Corriverton while Canje and Courtland Stars failed to score a point.
Winner 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.
Upon the conclusion of the tourney, the top two sides in the event will represent the zone at the impending national championship.
