REVELATION 2:7 says, “To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.”Certainly, the title of Guinness ‘Greatest of De Streets’ Futsal Football champions, can be likened as paradise in local football paradigms, as it brings with it a place in the national playoffs, $500,000, and a year’s bragging rights as champions.
Festival City Warriors were asked to contest a pre-qualifying tournament two nights before the actual tournament kicked off, from which they came out on top with several other teams to compete for supremacy in the sixth annual Banks DIH sponsored tournament in Georgetown.
Then to make things better, they were faced with Leopold Street in a semifinal encounter that was fiercely contested, but they held their nerves and waltzed away with a 1-0 victory via penalty kicks, to become the first team to enter next year’s national playoffs.
Tonight, we will see who is made of more, when Festival City Warriors prove they deserve to be playing in the competition as they go up against a strong North Ruimveldt unit in the final, with a lineup of players that is hungrier for success than fame.
The dreadlocked Daniel, a favourite, knows what it is like to be in the spotlight, as he was a member of the Back Circle unit that competed in the first ever Caribbean Guinness ‘Greatest of De Streets’ tournament in 2012 right here at the National Park.
Therefore, the players will look to him for guidance and calmness, with amicable support coming from Solomon Austin, Dwayne Lawrence, Andrew Gad and top marksman Eon Alleyne for support and victory.
North Ruimveldt, one of the pre-tournament favourites, sent home crowd favourites and the seemingly unbeatable Sparta Boss in their semifinal fixture, becoming the first team not to concede a goal in regulation time in the process.
Tonight, one would look to see the likes of Gerald Gritten, who played defence for all 38 minutes against Sparta Boss to shut out the likes of Devon ‘Don Don’ Millington and Sheldon Shepherd, returning to his role at the top to get goals.
With players such as Colin Daniels, Nichosie Barker, Joshua Browne and the ever-green and hardworking Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant in the support staff, the crowd can very well be chanting North Ruimveldt on numerous occasions, when the curtains come down on this year’s edition tonight.
Millington and Shepherd, along with Eusi ‘Boneyman’ Phillips, Jerome Richardson and Jermaine Weekes, will lead Sparta Boss in their third place fixture against Leopold Street, who will be looking to Okenny Fraser, Mark Lawrence, Hugh Argyle and Anthony Charles, to take them to the third place spot and a place in the national playoffs.
The runners-up will pocket $300 000, a trophy and medallions and a place in the national playoffs, while the winner of the third/fourth place playoff, will receive $200 000 and a spot in the National playoffs, leaving the fourth-placed team with $100 000.
The Skills Challenge category of the tournament will be contested tonight as well, with players and non-players being given the privilege to compete for the top prize of $20 000, while the sponsor has introduced a Fair Play Award of $50 000 as well as for this year’s edition.

(By Calvin Roberts )