NEW female champions would be crowned in the 2019 version of the Rupununi Football Association Champions League after the defending champions, Gladiators Football Club, suffered an exit in the quarterfinals.

In the latest round of the competition over the holiday weekend, Paiwomak Warriors edged out the Gladiators 3-2 in the return leg of a final-eight battle to win on an aggregate score of 5-3.

When the rivals battled in the opening leg of the quarterfinal, Warriors emerged with a 2-1 win.

Flash FC also advanced to the female semi-finals after defeating Kanuku Harpies in their home-and-away battle.

In the second leg of the male quarterfinals, Romario Jose and Frankie Parks found the back of the net in the 28th and 87th minutes respectively to carry Guyana Rush Saints to a 2-0 win over Strikers FC.

The two teams had battled to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their clash.

Meanwhile Jaguars Football Club won their return leg clash (2-1), but not by a big enough margin, which resulted their exit from the competition.

The Kanuku Harpies males had won their opening leg by a score of 4-2, which left the aggregate score after both games at 5-4 in the favour of Harpies.

Guyana Rush Saints (females), Strikers FC (females), Paiwomak Warriors (males) and defending male champions Tabatinga FC had qualified for the semi-finals, the weekend before.