The National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, will provide the setting on Saturday for titanic clashes in the ‘Keep Ya Five Alive’ Futsal Championship, as the semi-final round commences with Sparta Boss opposing Swag Entertainment, and Stabroek Ballers opposing Slingerz.
The opening match at 20.00 hours will pit West Demerara newcomer, Slingerz, against the dogged Stabroek Ballers outfit. Slingerz sealed their place in the final four section following a 6-3 win over Beterverwagting in the quarterfinal section. On the other hand, Stabroek Ballers created one of the biggest upsets in the tournament following a 1-0 victory over national heavyweight, Back Circle.
Meanwhile, Swag Entertainment of Linden will lock horns with Sparta Boss at 21.00 hours in what can be considered a championship encounter. The Lindeners romped into the semi-final round following a gritty win over Future Stars. However, standing on the opposite side is national giant, Sparta Boss, who earned another berth in the semi-final round, after defeating East Front Road.
According to an official release from the tournament coordinators, “The matches are expected to be thoroughly exciting, following an unexpected quarterfinal round, where several notable sides were eliminated by emerging forces. Stabroek Ballers and Slingerz is a clash that pits two relative newcomers in the format that are battling for a place and recognition amongst the elite teams, while Sparta Boss and Swag Entertainment is essentially a matchup between the best from Georgetown and Linden respectively. To say that the tournament is unpredictable would be a major understatement.”
The eventual champion will pocket $800,000 and a trophy, with the second, third, and fourth place finishers receiving $400,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively, plus the corresponding accolades. The final is pencilled for the August 3 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown.
The sponsors of the tournament include the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, GT Beer, Mohamed Enterprise, 94.1 Boom FM, Fireside Grill, Star Rental, Outside Bar, Aronco Services Inc, VP Sports, Prestige Distribution Services, Colours Boutique, La Rose Boutique, Kevin’s Reflections, News Source (Gordon Moseley Role Model award for the Most Disciplined player in the tournament), and the Guyana Football Federation.
