Banks DIH, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure clinched semi-final berths in the inaugural Banks Beer Futsal Championship on Tuesday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Banks DIH downed the Barbers Association by a 5-4 score line in their quarterfinal showdown. Andre Trotz gave Banks DIH the early lead as he etched his name on the scorer’s sheet in the 14th minute. The Barbers quickly responded one minute later as Jermain Willis scored with a strike down the centre of the net from top of the arc.
Banks DIH retook the lead in the 16th minute as James Meredith scored, placing his first time effort into the right hand corner after collecting a left sided cross while racing into the left side of the penalty area.
The momentum of the fixture then changed in the space of three minutes as the Barbers netted in the 19th and 22nd minutes compliments of Christian Galloway to take a 3-1 advantage.
However, Banks DIH responded with a late rally of their own, equalizing in the 23rd minute through a Ron Adams strike from the top of the area into the lower right hand corner.
They then retook the lead in the 26th minute as Phillip Rowley blasted a right footed shot into the top right left hand corner from the right side of the field.
It then became 5-3 in the favour of the beverage conglomerate as Trotz scored his second in the 29th minute with a left sided shot into the lower right hand corner. The Barbers eventually pulled one back in the final moments of the 30 minute affair as Galloway netted his second.
With the win, Banks will now oppose the Ministry of Public Health in the semi-final round today, after the latter defeated the Ministry of Presidency 5-3. Delroy Dean netted a hat-trick in the win in the first, fourth and 13 minutes.
He was assisted by Deshane Garnett who scored in the 29th and 30th minutes respectively. For the loser, Janson Jack scored in the 11th and 28th minutes while Deon Rodney scored in the 30th minute.
On the other side, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure upset Customs 1-0 on penalty kicks after normal and extra time ended 4-4 to seal their berth to the final four stage.
Taking first strike from the mark, Customs got off to the worst possible start as Delon Josiah fired his effort wide of the target. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure quickly capitalized on their opponent’s misfortune as Roy Cassou scored into the lower right corner.
It then went from bad to worse for Customs as Carlos Monkhouse blasted his effort wide of the target in their second match. Needing only a conversion to seal the win, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure failed from the distance as opposing custodian Travis Best denied the effort.
Now needing to score in their third and final attempt to keep their hopes alive, Customs sealed their own exit from the event as Vincent Thomas was denied by the opposing keeper.
With the win, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will now oppose the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the semi-final round. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in their quarterfinal, defeated Oasis Water 5-1.
Godfrey Powers registered a hat-trick in the 15th, 16th and 30th minutes while Courtney Britton recorded a brace in the 24th and 25th minutes. On target in the loss in the 29th minute was Gerald Gittens.
Winner of the event will receive the championship trophy and $200,000 while the second, third and fourth positioned team will receive $150,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy. Action in the event will continue today at the same venue.
