By Michaelangelo Jacobus
The Guinness Greatest of the Streets National Playoffs kicked off in fine fashion at the Pouderoyen Tarmac, West Bank Demerara, with nine matches slated for the night.
The respective champions and some runners up of West/East Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara, Bartica, Essequibo, Georgetown, Berbice and Linden collided in an action-packed night with the last team left standing on the night scheduled to pocket the $1m winners’ purse.
Up to press time, two quarterfinals and a playoff for a spot in the quarterfinals had been completed with the biggest upset being Ballerz Empire, one of the tournament favourites booted from the one-night competition via penalty kicks.
Ballerz Empire, the champions of the West/East Bank Demerara Zone fielded a strong looking side with Darron Niles and Nicholas McArthur leading the line in their quarter final match up against Georgetown runners up North Ruimveldt, however, their attacks were blunted with a resilient North Ruimveldt side controlling most of the possession.
By the time the whistle was blown for fulltime, neither side could get on the scoresheet and it was down to penalty kicks to decide who would progress to the semifinals.
North Ruimveldt stepped up first and took their first round of two penalties, one off target and the other nestling into the back of the goal.
Nicholas McArthur stepped up for Ballerz and hit the frame of the goal while Niles successfully converted his kick.
With the penalties now down to sudden death, North Ruimveldt’s third penalty take converted and with pressure on his shoulders, Ballerz Empire’s next kicker contrived to miss to the chagrin of their supporters.
Earlier in the night, Liliendaal Hustlers, Champions of the East Coast Demerara zone clashed with new faces, champions of the Essequibo zone, the All Stars in a playoff for a spot in the quarterfinals. The Hustlers showed their pedigree and dispatched the All Stars 3-0 to set a date with Georgetown champions Laing Avenue.
Rashaun Ritch sealed the deal with a Guinness Goal (any goal scored in the final 3 minutes of the match counts as 2) in the 20th and final minute to complement Sunil Logan’s 14th minute strike.
Meanwhile, Kennard Simon of the Silver Bullets (Linden Champion) held his nerve to slot home his penalty to send his side through to the semifinals with a 2-1 win on penalties over Berbician side East Bank Gunners.
Two quarterfinals were yet to be played with the semifinals, third place playoff and finals all slated for last night to decide the winner.