The final eight teams in the inaugural Kashif & Shanghai / One Guyana National Futsal Championship will be confirmed tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when the round-of-16 will be completed with the final four matches.

From 20:00hrs, Unstoppable will battle Stabroek Ballers ‘A’, one hour later, North East will match skills with Espanyol, followed by Timehri Warriors against Back Circle ‘A’ with the final match in the round-of-16 bringing together Sparta Boss and Bent Street ‘B’.

When this round commenced on Monday night at the National Gymnasium, Road Warriors of Region #9, Bent Street, Team Cruel of Beterverwagting, and Gold Is Money became the first teams to make it to the quarter-finals, all with contrasting wins.

Road Warriors lived up to the billing as one of the front runners to ink its name on this inaugural trophy when they hammered Ballers United of Berbice, 10-0 in a lopsided contest. The teaching of their opponents in the fundamentals of futsal continued much to the delight of the spectators.

Dionathas Pereira (1st, 7th, 24th, 34th) led his side with a helmet-trick, two in each half as this side ran riot against the lads from the Ancient County. In the three games that they have played to date, the Warriors, made up of Brazilian and Guyanese players have scored a total of 18 goals whilst conceding 5.

Wendrecky Gios DeSouza, who fired in a hat-trick (4th, 8th, 27th) mirroring his performance in their previous win against Victoria Eagles, has taken his overall tally in the championship to 8 goals. An own goal in the 16th minute from Ballers United’s Lomar Reid and strikes from Jaleel Alcindor and Arckson Dos Santos both in the 38th minute accounted for the other goals.

Road Warriors have now set up a potentially mouthwatering quarter final showdown with Gold Is Money which became the first team to qualify on account of a 4-2 win over Back Circle ‘B’.

Back Circle ‘B’ drew first blood five minutes into the encounter when Fabioan Abrams found the back of the nets. Four minutes later though, Gold Is Money found the neutralising goal off the boot of Andrew Murray. Their after, Gold Is Money controlled proceeding and eased into the lead when Michael Ballack fired in a double in the 11th and 12th minute.

That two goal advantage was reduced in the 14th minute by Back Circle’s Jeremiah Softleigh. But a William Europe missile on the stroke of half time (20th minute) restored the two-goal cushion for Gold Is Money, thereby securing their passage into the final eight. Neither team was able to trouble the score in the second half.

Team Cruel, a team that is based in the village of Beterverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara has continue to impress with each passing game. They put on their best display yet, blanking Albouystown Ballers, 9-0.

Neron Barrow who missed at least three easy opportunities in the first half finally made amends in the second half to bury all four chances, ending with a helmet-trick (22nd, 26th, 37th, 38th). Ian Dooker backed up well with a hat-trick, scoring in the 15th, 23rd and 40th minute. Jemar Harrigan touched in a double in the 13th and 38th minute.

Team Cruel’s opponent in the quarter finals is Bent Street which defeated Stabroek Ballers ‘B’, 5-2. Two goals each from Jamaine Beckles (5th, 33rd) and Colin Nelson (20th, 38th) set up the win for Bent Street, the other scored by Pernel Schultz also in the 38th minute.

Stabroek Ballers ‘B’ got their goals from Jamal Cozier (19th) and Nickolai Andrews (24th).

The quarter finals will be contested tomorrow night, Boxing Night also at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with the semifinal slated for New Year’s night and the grand final on January 3rd, 2025.

Meanwhile, the female segment of the championship will also start tomorrow night using the round-robin format with the finals set for January 3rd. The four teams battling are Canaimas, ⁠Tucville Terrorists, ⁠The Lionesses, ⁠Lady Royals.

The top female team will pocket $200,000, 2nd – $100,000, 3rd- $60,000 and 4th- $40,000, The MVP will ride away with a brand new motor cycle as will the MVP of the male championship, along with the highest goal scorer and best goalkeeper all compliments of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain.

Awaiting the top four male teams are the following cash prizes, 1st- $2,000,000 (two million), 2nd- $ 1,000,000 (one million), 3rd- $500,000, and 4th- $200,000.