FOLLOWING two weeks of exciting and enthralling matches, action in the Banks DIH-sponsored Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ exhibition tournament culminates at the National Cultural Centre tarmac, tonight, with the crowning of the champions. Reigning Banks DIH Guinness champions Back Circle, who will be competing in the Guinness Caribbean Street Football Challenge later this month, will be one of four teams who have a realistic chance of lifting the $200 000 winner’s spoils tonight.
They face D’Urban Street, a team they defeated 5-0 in their first match, on their home turf and, following the display of cohesiveness throughout the tournament, even when they went under to Albouystown 2-1 in their final preliminary round match, Back Circle will definitely start as favourites for tonight’s top prize.
Skipper Daniel Favorite has done a good job in keeping his troops, including Phillip Rowley, Ola ‘Solo Tall Boy’ Pedro and Devon Harris, under wraps, even when they were undergoing some stern tests from Tiger Bay in the quarterfinals – making his job a little easier for tonight.
But D’Urban Street should not be seen as pushovers, even though they suffered defeats to both Back Circle and the undefeated Albouystown, for when it mattered most, they sent Alexander Village packing from the tournament via 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory.
Jamal Hunte will lead their quest for victory in what can be described as an all-important fixture for them, since a victory over Back Circle will be a huge feather in their cap.
The second game will be the one to watch, as it involves the undefeated and red-hot favourites for the title, Albouystown, whose throng of vociferous supporters waste no time in showing their support for their team. They will takeg on Island All Stars.
While on a geographical scale they may be distance apart in terms of area location, the two can still be described as neighbours, making bragging rights a certainty in this matchup, especially if Island All Stars pull a rabbit out of the hat and create an upset.
Eusi ‘Boneyman’ Phillips, Leon Jarvis and Orson McCurdy will lead the All Stars’ challenge against their opponents whose lineup includes the deadly strike duo in Shaka Jones) and Andrew Murray Jr, two players who have been tormenting their team’s opponents in this tournament.
Add midfield/defence libero Renault Fraser to the fray and the supporting staff, who, while being unknown, have brought their ‘A’ game to all matches in this competition, then the possibility of an Albouystown versus Back Circle final is not a remote one, unless the other two teams repeat their quarterfinals performances and spring an upset victory.
The action will kick off at 20:00hrs with the semifinals, which will be followed by the third-place playoff and final, following the usual Guinness 20 minutes break. The presentation of prizes will take place at the end of the final.