Festival City sent Leopold Street packing from the inaugural Guyana Beverage Company Busta soft shoe football championship crushing them 8-2 in their final group matchup Sunday at the Georgetown Football Club ground.
Requiring a win to keep their hopes alive of qualifying, Leopold Street would get off to the worst possible start as Solomon Austin opened the scoring for Festival City in the very first minute with a strike down the centre of the net.
Stellon David would then make it 2-0 in the third minute, rifling his left footed strike into the lower right corner from within the left of the field.
Leopold Street would then pull one back three minutes onward as Jumane Somerset pounced on a loose ball before finishing into the empty net, after an initial strike was parried by the custodian into his path within the centre of the area.
The goal seemed to spur Festival City as Dwayne Lawrence scored, placing his effort into the lower right corner following a one-on-one situation with the custodian.
Daniel Favourite would then make it 4-1 in the 23rd minute compliments of right footed shot into the right side from within the centre of the penalty box, after skipping past his marker upon receiving the ball in the middle of the field.
With seven minutes remaining in the fixture, Festival City would net a further four goals in the matchup while conceding only one. Carl Lockhart netted a double from off the bench in the 27th and 28th minutes while Eon Alleyne blasted in a double in the 29th and 30th minutes.
Managing to pull one back for Leopold Street during the second half spree was Andre Sookhoo in the 28th minute. Similarly sealing a place in the knockout round was Bent Street who crushed Albouystown 4-0.
Daniel Wilson broke the deadlock in the 21st minute compliments of an absolute screamer from the within the left side of the field, into the right hand corner. Konata Manning would then add to the lead one minute later, lashing his right sided effort onto the left upright and into the net.
The score line would balloon to 3-0 as Wilson sealed his second of the night in the 24th minute. Receiving the ball on the left side of the field, the versatile midfielder would clinically dispatch his effort into the right hand side of the net,
Sheldon Holder would then cap off the result in the 27th minute, slotting his effort into the right corner after receiving the ball within the left side of the area. In other results, West Back Road upset Globe Yard 4-1.
Phillip Rowley netted a brace in the fourth and 11th minutes while Joel Tyrell and Jamal Haynes contributed solo efforts in the fifth and 21st minute. Netting for the loser in the 16th minute was Ademi Hoyte.
Ballers completed a perfect showing in the group section, dismissing Broad Street by a 4-2 margin in the fourth matchup. Steffon Ramsay netted a hat-trick in the fifth, 25th and 27th minutes while Amos Ramsay scored in the 21st minute.
On target in the loss was Miguel Cummings and Jamal Cozier in the 14th and 19th minutes respectively. In the opening matchup, Kitty Weavers defeated Tucville 1-0 to seal their berth in the next section through a Sherwin Vincent finish into the left corner from within the left side of the penalty area.
The second fixture of the day saw Stevedore Housing Scheme upsetting Cross Street 2-0. Mark Campbell opened the scoring in the 14th minute, turning within the area before smashing his shot down the centre of the goal.
Campbell would then seal the win in the 23rd minute, lashing his attempt from the centre of the area into the right hand corner.
The final group stage round is slated to commence today at the same locale. In the opening fixture at 19:00hrs, Sophia will lock horns with Durban Street while North East La Penitence will tackle Holmes Street from 19:45hrs.
The third fixture will witness North Ruimveldt facing off with Back Circle from 20:30hrs whilst the fourth fixture will pit Charlestown against California Square from 21:00hrs.
In the final two fixtures, West Front Road-Gold is Money will tackle Queen Street Tiger Bay at 21:45hrs while Sparta Boss will oppose Alexander Village from 22:30hrs
Following the end of the initial group stage, the top two teams from each group alongside the best four third place finishers will progress to the knockout round. Victors of the tourney will receive the championship trophy and $600,000.
The second, third and fourth placed sides will receive $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the respective accolade.
Also, the respective winner of the groups will receive $25,000 while the second, third and fourth finishers within the group will receive $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.
