West Back Road, Festival City, Sparta Boss and Kitty Weavers were amongst the winners when the inaugural GT Beer Futsal Championship continued at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.
In the second fixture, West Back Road edged Bent Street as they won 5-4, in a battle of the unbeaten group-D sides. Okeene Fraser gave Bent Street the lead in the second minute with a placed shot down the centre of the goal following a three-on-one with the keeper.
West Back Road quickly responded two minutes later when Eron Hayde netted, a strike rifling into the lower left-hand corner from the right side of the field. However, Bent Street retook the advantage one minute later through a powerful Fraser effort into the roof of the net from the centre of the field.
With the score line 2-2 going into the half time interval, Odel Young scored, finishing his effort into the left side of the goal from the centre of the penalty area. Jamal Haynes then gave West Back Road the lead in the 18th minute of the second half, striking his effort into the roof of the net, after an initial left-sided shot was parried into his path by the keeper.
The back and forth contest would continue for two more minutes as West Back Road conceded an own goal, after a left-sided cross was inadvertently directed into their own net by Young within the penalty area.
Nevertheless, Haynes restored West Back Road’s one-goal lead in the 25th minute, collecting a right-sided pass within the area, before slotting home his effort into the lower right-hand corner of the net.
It would then become 5-3 two minutes later as Teon Caesar blasted his effort into the back of the net after collecting a pass from the right side within the centre of the playing area. Bent Street eventually pulled one back in the penultimate minute of the fixture compliments of a right- sided strike from Frank Crandon into the lower right-hand corner in the 29th minute.
Similarly, Festival City recorded their second win in as many matches, outclassing Agricola 8-4 in their group-A shoot-out of the undefeated sides. Solomon Austin gave the Georgetown unit the perfect start in the first minute, walking the ball into the net unchallenged after collecting a right-sided pass from Dwayne Lawrence.
Daniel Favourite then made it 2-0 in the sixth minute, rifling a powerful right-footed effort from the centre of the field into the top right-hand corner. Agricola would get on the score line in the 10th minute as Kacy John placed his effort into the right corner from the centre of the field.
Nonetheless, Festival City restored their two-goal lead going into the half-time break compliments of a 14th-minute conversion from Austin, who unleashed a thunderous effort into the net from the right side of the field.
The score then ballooned to 4-1 in the 16th minute as Lawrence netted with a simple slot home, after collecting a left-sided pass within the centre of the area. Keith Fletcher then made it 5-1 as Festival City further tightened their grip of the contest one minute later, dribbling the onrushing custodian in the centre of the area, before finishing into the lower right corner.
Agricola pulled one back in the 18th minute through a Gordon Grant finish down the centre of the net from right side of the area.
It would then become 6-2 in favour of the Georgetown unit as Austin sealed his hat-trick in the 22nd minute with a finish into the centre of the net from the left side.
The East Bank unit would try and initiate a comeback in the space of a minute as Grant and Anthony Rollins netted in the 23rd and 24th minute to cut the deficit to 6-4.
However any attempts at a comeback were quickly extinguished as Eon Alleyne recorded a double in the 25th and 30th minutes to cap off the win.
Also maintaining their unbeaten run was Sparta Boss who crushed Globe Yard 7-1 in a group-B fixture.
Dennis Edwards was the top-shot for the East La Penitence outfit with a hat-trick in the ninth, 16th and 20th minutes.
Supporting with solo efforts were Eusi Phillips, Deon Alfred, Travis Grant and Roberto Osbourne in the seventh, 13th, 14th and 30th minutes respectively. On target in the loss was Keith Caines in the 12th minute.
In the opening fixture, Kitty Weavers defeated Queen Street 5-4 in their group-A matchup to move a step closer to the next round. Nigel Denny recorded a double in the first and seven minutes for the winners while Sherwin Vincent assisted with a double in the 11th and 24th minutes respectively. Kitty’s fifth goal came by Travis Martin, who netted his effort in the 15th minute.
For the losers, Darren Harris top scored with a double in the ninth and 16th minutes while Keoma Gravesande and James Meredith scored in the third and 18th minutes correspondingly.
The action in the group stage round will continue tomorrow at the same venue with another four fixtures.
In the opening fixture, North Ruimveldt will oppose Beterverwagting (BV) from 19:00hrs in a group-D affair while group-C will take centre stage when Showstoppers lock horns with Broad Street in the second fixture from 19:45hrs.
The third fixture will then pit Albouystown against Alexander Village in a group-B affair from 21:00hrs whilst the final fixture of the night at 21:45hrs will witness West Front Road-Gold is Money against Sophia in a group-C showdown.
The winners 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 accolades.
