A Travis Grant goal with only two seconds remaining propelled Sparta Boss to a 3-2 win over Alexander Village when the inaugural GT Beer Futsal Championship kicked off in exciting fashion on Tuesday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.
With the group-B matchup evenly poised at 2-2 in the dying moments in front of a large crowd, the experienced midfielder directed his tame header into the ground and over the goal-line after rising unchallenged within the centre of the box to meet a Sheldon Shepherd right-sided cross.
Prior to the fixture’s dramatic conclusion, Sparta Boss took the lead in the seventh minute as Grant netted, slotting into the centre of the goal after pouncing on a loose ball within the penalty box.
It then became 2-0 in the 24th minute as Carl Tudor scored compliments of a left-footed strike into the right-hand corner from the left side of the field.
Despite staring down a two-goal deficit, Alexander Village began the comeback in the 27th minute as Jermaine Junior scored from the penalty mark.
Awarded the spot-kick after Sparta Boss accumulated their sixth foul, the wily winger buried his right- footed effort into the right-hand corner, leaving the custodian rooted to the spot.
Parity was then restore to proceedings one minute later in sublime fashion as Shem Porter scored. Receiving the ball on the left side of the field, Porter unleashed a powerful left-footed strike which evaded the dive of the custodian and nestled into the lower left-hand corner.
Nevertheless, Sparta Boss would prevail in the fixture as Grant netted in the dying moments. In the tourney opener, Albouystown downed Globe Yard by a 4-1 score line in their group-B showdown.
Devon Dooker broke the deadlock in the eighth-minute for the winner, slotting home into the net after an initial strike from the left side was parried into his path by the goal-keeper within the box.
He would then double their lead one minute later under similar circumstances as another strike was pushed into his onrushing path, which he clinically stabbed into the back of the net.
Lennox Cort then made it 3-0 in the 10th minute, placing his effort into the lower right-hand corner from the top of the arc after latching onto a wayward defensive pass.
Globe Yard eventually pulled one back in the 23rd minute in the form of Gordon Henry who tackled his effort down the centre of the goal from within the penalty area.
Nonetheless, Albouystown completed the win three minutes later as Denver Dennis scored a first time strike down the middle of the net from the left side of the area, after collecting a right-sided pass from Cort.
The third matchup of the night witnessed West Back Road downing North Ruimveldt by a 4-1 score line in a group-D contest.
Jarel Tyrell pushed West Back Road into the lead in the seventh minute, controlling a right-sided Josiah Charles cross with his chest before volleying his effort into the top left-hand corner, from the left side of the field.
Joshua Browne then equalized for North Ruimveldt two minutes later compliments of a right-footed attempt into the right-hand corner.
However, West Back Road then retook the lead in the 18th minute as an Eon Hade left-sided freekick took a deflection off the body of a defender and settled into the right-hand corner.
The scoreline then ballooned to 3-1 one minute later as Phillip Rowley found the back of the net with a right-footed strike into the right-hand corner.
Hade then completed the win in the 26th minute, skipping past his marker on the right side of the field before finishing into the lower right-hand corner with a right-footed shot.
Agricola sent an early warning to the field in the second matchup, downing the experienced Kitty Weavers unit 4-3 in a group-A affair. Gordon Grant recorded a double in the win with strikes in the second and fifth minutes while Glen Eastman netted a brace in the ninth and 27th minutes.
Supporting with a solo effort was Anthony Rollins in the seventh minute. On target for the loser were Nigel Denny, Jermaine Willis and Gordon Grant in the sixth, eighth and 15th minutes correspondingly. Action in the event is slated to continue tomorrow at the same venue with four matchups. In the opening fixture at 19:00hrs, Showstoppers will oppose Sophia while Bent Street will tackle Beterverwagting (BV) in the second matchup at 19:45hrs.
The third fixture will then pit Queen Street Tigerbay against Festival City at 21:00hrs while the final matchup of the night will witness West Front Road against Broad Street from 21:45hrs.
The winner of the tournament will collect $500,000 and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth place finishers will collect $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 and the corresponding accolade.
