– Road Warriors dazzle for third place
The curtains came down on the inaugural Kashif and Shanghai National Futsal Championship on Friday night at the newly refurbished Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue, with Sparta Boss crowned champions after a commanding 8-4 victory over Bent Street A in the final.
Witnessed by a mammoth crowd, Sparta Boss seized control of the contest in the space of four minutes following a brace from Curtez Kellman. The versatile player opened the scoring with a third-minute conversion. He then doubled Sparta Boss’s advantage after a seventh-minute conversion.
Jermaine Beckles eventually reduced the deficit to 1-2 following an eighth-minute strike. However, Kellman completed his hat-trick as he restored Sparta Boss’s two-goal advantage in the 19th minute.
The score remained unchanged at 3-1 entering the halftime interval.
Upon the resumption, Beckles once again made his presence felt, completing his double in the 25th minute to reduce the score to 2-3. Adrian Aaron then restored parity to proceedings as he found the back of the net in the 29th minute.
However, three goals in the space of as many minutes in the latter stages of the half effectively sealed the win for the Sparta Boss unit. Kelsey Benjamin handed the Spartans a 4-3 advantage following a 35th-minute effort.
Jermin Junior then got into the scoring act in the 37th minute to push the score to 5-3. This was followed by a 38th-minute conversion from Omari Glasgow, which increased their advantage to 6-3.
Although Aaron was able to reduce the deficit briefly at 4-6 in the 39th minute, two goals in the space of seconds from Glasgow and Darron Niles secured the championship.
Due to the outcome, Sparta Boss walked away with $2,000,000 and the championship trophy while Bent Street A received $1,000,000, and the corresponding accolade.
On the individual side of the presentation, Junior copped the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade for the men’s segment while Glendy Lewis was adjudged the MVP for the women’s division. Omar Jones of Sparta Boss copped the Best Goalkeeper Award while Bevney Marks of Back Circle ended with the Golden Boot accolade with 22 conversions. All four awardees are set to receive respective motorcycles.
Meanwhile, in the earlier third place playoff, the Road Warriors thrashed Back Circle 18-6. Teon Stewart and Wendrecky DeSouza led the carnage with a combined 10 conversions.
Stewart recorded his haul in the 24th, 28th, 30th, 33rd, and 40th minutes, while DeSouza amassed his tally in the sixth, 37th, 38th, 39th, and 40th.
Supporting with a helmet trick was Daniel Alves in the ninth, 11th, 21st, and 26th minutes, while Dionathas Perreira registered a hat-trick in the 11th, 14th, and 37th. Adding a goal in the 29th minute was Hildimir Filho.
For the loser, Stephon McLean tallied a hat-trick in the eighth, 31st, and 34th minutes, while Akil Plass bagged a double in the 18th and 26th minutes. Adding a conversion in the 19th minute was Stephon Reynolds.
Due to the outcome, Road Warriors pocketed $500,000 and the respective accolade, while Back Circle pocketed $200,000 and a trophy.
Complete Results
Final
Sparta Boss-8 vs. Bent Street A-4
Sparta scorers
Curtez Kellman-3rd, 7th, and 19th
Omari Glasgow-38th and 40th
Kelsey Benjamin-35th
Jermin Junior-37th
Darron Niles-40th
Bent Street A scorers
Jermaine Beckles-8th and 25th
Adrian Aaron-29th and 39th
3rd Place
Road Warriors-18 vs. Back Circle A-6
Road Warriors scorers
Wendrecky DeSouza-6th, 37th, 38th, 39th, and 40th
Teon Stewart- 24th, 28th, 30th, 33rd, and 40th
Daniel Alves-9th, 11th, 21st, and 26th
Dionathas Perreira-11th, 14th, and 37th
Hildimir Filho-29th
Back Circle A scorers
Stephon McLean-8th, 31st, and 34th
Akil Plass-18th and 26th
Stephon Reynolds-19th