.jpg)
AFTER 26 minutes of pulsating Futsal football that had several near misses on both sides of the playing area, Quacy Johnson’s strike for Silent Assassins was all that was needed to send his team into tonight’s final of this year’s Banks DIH/Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition, at the expense of defending champions TLC Shipping Russians last Monday night. In the first semifinal, Silver Bullets were the first team to advance to tonight’s final which will be played at the Wisroc/Amelia’s Ward Bus Park, the same venue for Monday night’s action, with their 1-0 victory over Half Mile/One Mile.
If anyone had used a loud speaker and informed the hundreds of TLC Shipping Russians supporters, who were vociferous before the opening whistle sounded, that their team would have suffered their first defeat on the ninth night of the tournament, they would have been the verbally abused with expletives being included.
The defending champions took the playing area to loud cheers and whistles from their supporters, even as Silent Assassins, whose lineup included recently, elected vice-president of the Guyana Football Federation, Collie Hercules, and Romain Haynes, were undergoing their warm-up drills.
As early as the fifth minute, Hercules displayed the technique and ability that he showcased in the Guyana national team, when he wormed his way to the Russians’ goal area and sent a gem of a pass to Ruel Williams, who muffed same with an open goal at his leisure.
Following several see-saw plays between both sides, Russians’ Travis Watterton, who played the entire contest with the aim of steering his team to their second final, missed the goal area with a shot from inside Assassins’ half, forcing his opponents to take one of two 20 seconds timeouts.
The scoreline was nil-all at the end of the first 15 minutes and when play resumed, the see-saw battle continued between the two sides, until Johnson was brought down inside Russians’ half, after he wormed his way past a hapless Dwayne Charles, who was booked for the offence.
Hercules took the free kick that was awarded and surprisingly picked out an unmarked Johnson, whose tame shot flew past the legs of Odel Allicock, stunning the Russians and their supporters, while creating jubilation among the Assassins supporters.
Even though they had four team fouls accredited to them, Silent Assassins steered clear of any danger in the final four minutes of the contest following Johnson’s strike, to ensure they remain on top and at the same time earn a place in the national playoffs, irrespective of the results of tonight’s encounter.
In the first semifinal, Silver Bullets used a golden bullet which was scored in the 25th minute off the boot of Robin Adams, to send Half Mile/One Mile into the third place playoff, where they will face TLC Shipping Russians before tonight’s final is contested.
At stake in the competition are $600 000, a trophy, one-year bragging rights and a place in the national playoff for the victorious team tonight, while the second-placed team will earn a spot in the national playoff, even as they take home $300 000, with the third- and fourth-placed finishers pocketing $150 000 and $100 000 respectively. Several fans will collect giveaways.
The organisers will seek to culminate another successful tournament with some exhibition matches tonight, even as the mining town celebrates another Linden Town Week.
If anyone had used a loud speaker and informed the hundreds of TLC Shipping Russians supporters, who were vociferous before the opening whistle sounded, that their team would have suffered their first defeat on the ninth night of the tournament, they would have been the verbally abused with expletives being included.
The defending champions took the playing area to loud cheers and whistles from their supporters, even as Silent Assassins, whose lineup included recently, elected vice-president of the Guyana Football Federation, Collie Hercules, and Romain Haynes, were undergoing their warm-up drills.
As early as the fifth minute, Hercules displayed the technique and ability that he showcased in the Guyana national team, when he wormed his way to the Russians’ goal area and sent a gem of a pass to Ruel Williams, who muffed same with an open goal at his leisure.
Following several see-saw plays between both sides, Russians’ Travis Watterton, who played the entire contest with the aim of steering his team to their second final, missed the goal area with a shot from inside Assassins’ half, forcing his opponents to take one of two 20 seconds timeouts.
The scoreline was nil-all at the end of the first 15 minutes and when play resumed, the see-saw battle continued between the two sides, until Johnson was brought down inside Russians’ half, after he wormed his way past a hapless Dwayne Charles, who was booked for the offence.
Hercules took the free kick that was awarded and surprisingly picked out an unmarked Johnson, whose tame shot flew past the legs of Odel Allicock, stunning the Russians and their supporters, while creating jubilation among the Assassins supporters.
Even though they had four team fouls accredited to them, Silent Assassins steered clear of any danger in the final four minutes of the contest following Johnson’s strike, to ensure they remain on top and at the same time earn a place in the national playoffs, irrespective of the results of tonight’s encounter.
In the first semifinal, Silver Bullets used a golden bullet which was scored in the 25th minute off the boot of Robin Adams, to send Half Mile/One Mile into the third place playoff, where they will face TLC Shipping Russians before tonight’s final is contested.
At stake in the competition are $600 000, a trophy, one-year bragging rights and a place in the national playoff for the victorious team tonight, while the second-placed team will earn a spot in the national playoff, even as they take home $300 000, with the third- and fourth-placed finishers pocketing $150 000 and $100 000 respectively. Several fans will collect giveaways.
The organisers will seek to culminate another successful tournament with some exhibition matches tonight, even as the mining town celebrates another Linden Town Week.
