Riverview, Police, Plantain Slice and All Stars sealed quarterfinal berths when the inaugural Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Bartica Zone commenced Friday at the Bartica Community Centre Tarmac.
Witnessed by a large crowd that braved the persistent rainfall and an electrical failure that lasted one hour, Riverview downed Lotto Arcade 3-1.
Romario Lake opened the scoring in the seventh minute for Riverview with a shot from the left side into the centre of the net.
Steven Edwards made it 2-0 in the 15th minute, unleashing a strike from the right side which crashed into the left upright and settled into the back of the net.
McLean Pickett pulled one back for Lotto Arcade in the 25th minute, bundling the ball into the right corner from the left side of the area.
The match was put to bed five minutes later when Andel Norton blasted his effort into the centre of the net, after his initial strike struck the crossbar and rebounded into his path.
Police edged Beacons One Love 2-1. Randy Adams gave Beacons One Love the lead in the sixth minute, stabbing his effort into right side, from the left of the field.
However, Roderick Hamilton equalised for the lawmen in the 18th minute, lashing his effort into the lower right corner.
Police then completed the come-from-behind win in the 33rd minute when Mark Boyce intercepted a poor pass from the final defender and finished in the center of the net.
Plantain Slice disarmed Young Guns 1-0. Shawn Dash separated the teams with an eighth minute conversion, slotting home from the right of the penalty area, after collecting a left side pass.
Identically, All-Stars needled Beacons Die Hard 1-0. Ryan Scott was the difference on the night in the 28th minute, compliments of a placed strike from the right flank, into the lower left corner.
In other results, Almanac Kings edged Time Square 2-1 on penalty kicks, after regulation and extra time ended 2-2.
Don Juan Lam and Ricardo Perreira scored for Kings in the third and fifth minute respectively while Cyprian Collison and Rondell Calendar equalised in the 12th and 23rd minute for Time Square.
Similarly, Campbellville squeaked past Street Kings 2-1 on sudden death penalty kicks, following a 2-2 score at the end of normal and extra time.
Kelvin Isaacs and Marvin Bamfield netted for Campbellville in the 20th and 26th minute respectively. For Street Kings, Elijah Fraser and Shameer Mentore scored in the fifth and 15th minute respectively.
The tournament will resume today at the same venue with semi-finals and finals. Up to press time, the quarterfinal matches were underway.
Winner of the event will receive $350,000 and the championship trophy. They would also earned the right to represent the zone at the National Championship on July 8th.
On the other hand, the runners-up, third and fourth place finishers will pocket $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 apiece and the corresponding accolade.
Meeting the teams prior to the start of the event were Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford, Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste and Banks DIH Limited Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart.
The ceremonial kickoff was conducted by Mayor Marshall.
