Agricola solidified their status as national street football contenders, defeating North Ruimveldt 3-2 via penalty kicks to clinch the inaugural Second Ground Entertainment ‘Ballers in the Summer’ knockout tourney on Sunday at the Pouderoyen Tarmac.
With a winner unable to be found the end of the normal and extra time intervals during the score less fixture, a penalty shoot-out was needed to decide the matchup. Up first was North Ruimveldt in the form of Colin Daniels who placed his effort outside of the upright.
The East Bank of Demerara unit quickly capitalized as talisman Kacy John netted to take the lead. Joshua Brown then kept the Georgetown unit in contention as he scored their second attempt from the distance.
However, once again Agricola maintained their poise from the mark, netting in the form of Gordon Grant to take a 2-1 advantage going into the final round. Needing to score to keep his side in the game, veteran utility man Gerald Gittens netted to level the score.
With only a conversion needed to clinch the matchup, penalty specialist Glen Eastman ignited celebrations on the field as he buried his attempt into the net to clinch the win.
In the earlier stages of the showdown, Gittens almost broke the deadlock for North Ruimveldt in the 12th minute, firing his right-footed attempt into the side netting after receiving a left sided pass from Browne following a two-on-one situation.
Agricola though nearly managed to steal the lead in the 34th minute as a cheeky Grant back-heeled attempt from in-front of the goal, rolled narrowly wide of the right hand corner. Due to the win, Agricola claimed the $200,000 first prize while North Ruimveldt collected $150,000.
The East Bank of Demerara unit in their run to the title also defeated West Front Road-Gold is Money, Queen Street Tiger Bay and Sparta Boss.
In the third place playoff, Sparta Boss cancelled Showstoppers by a 2-0 margin. Sheldon Shepherd opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a first time placed shot into the centre of the net after receiving a right sided pass on the left of the park.
Travis Grant then sealed the result 10 minutes later, slotting home into the right hand side after a left sided pass found him waiting on the right sided of the area.
For their showing, Sparta Boss walked away with $70,000 while Showstoppers had to settle for the fourth prize of $20,000.
In the earlier semi-final matchups, Agricola downed Sparta Boss 2-0. Eastman found the opener in the bruising affair in the 18th minute, flicking a first time effort into the right corner after collecting a pass from Kacy John on the right side of the tarmac.
The result would then be sealed in the 30th minute as John rifled a strike into the centre of the empty net, after pouncing on a loose ball just over the half way mark. On the other hand, North Ruimveldt edged Showstoppers 3-2 on penalty kicks after normal time ended 0-0.
Daniels, Brown and Gittens were on target in the shoot-out while Dexroy Adams and Nathan Allicock scored for the losers. Failing to score was Marvin Josiah. Sponsors of the event include Golf Motor Oil and A. Forrester Lumberyard among others.
