It was a final befitting the inaugural Banks Beer Inter-Corporation Futsal Championship as hosts Banks DIH downed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 8-5 on Friday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.
Devon Forde led the beverage giant with a brace in the 16th and 27th minutes while veteran sharp-shooter Andre Trotz recorded a double in the seventh and 36th minutes.
Netting solo efforts were James Meredith, Eron Hayde, Phillip Rowley and Eric Moses in the third, 22nd, 28th and 35th minutes correspondingly.
On the other side, Courtney Britton netted in the fourth and 25th minutes while Shamar Wilson, Jeffrey Newton and Godfrey Powers in the 19th, 30th and 34th minutes respectively. Due to the win, Banks DIH copped the first place package of $200,000 and the championship trophy.
For the loser, they walked away with $150,000 and the respective trophy. The tourney hosts got off to the perfect start as Meredith broke the deadlock three minutes into the affair with a left sided shot into the right corner, igniting their large supporting cast.
However as easily as Banks DIH took the lead they surrendered it as Britton scored moments later, placing his right footed effort into the left hand corner.
Banks DIH then fired back three minutes onward as Trotz scored, controlling a right sided cross within the centre of the box, before finishing clinically down the centre of the goal.
The lead was extended to 3-1 as Forde recorded his first of the match with a first time finish into the right corner after collecting a pass from Keith Fletcher.
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cut the deficit to one a minute before the half-time interval as Wilson blasted his effort into the lower left hand corner, capping off the celebrations with a somersault for the large crowd.
The resumption of the second period witnessed Banks DIH taking a 4-2 lead as Hayde scored, stabbing his effort past the advancing keeper within the centre of the box, after controlling a lobbed pass.
The back and forth nature of the contest continued as Britton found the back of the net with a simple finish down the centre after collecting a right sided pass within the centre of the box.
Nevertheless, Forde once again increased Banks DIH’s lead, sealing his double after latching onto a Ron Adams pass within the area before finishing into the net.
Phillip Rowley made it 6-3 moments later, racing down the centre of the field before unleashing a powerful strike into the roof of the right hand corner.
The Ministry of Sports was then given a lifeline in the space of four minutes as Newton and Powers scored, with six minutes remaining on the clock.
However that proved to be the closest they got to overcome the score line as Moses slotted home down the centre of the net from within the area. Trotz then sealed the win with only three minutes remaining, finishing into the empty net from the outside the box.
In the third place playoff, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure crushed the Ministry of Public Health by a 10-3 score line. Due to the win, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure walked away with $100,000 and the corresponding trophy.
For their showing, the Ministry of Public Health received $50,000 and the respective accolade. Prior to the commencement of the finale, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, GFA President Clifton Hickens and Banks Brand Manager Brian Cho-Hen met the teams. Similarly, Minister Greenidge conducted the ceremonial kickoff.
