Courtesy: The Barbados Advocate


Spartans FC are first ever Futsal champions

Tue Sep 23 2008

By Petra Harvey

The inaugural Barbados Futsal League Ginga Cup came to an exciting end at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium on Sunday night. The competition, nicknamed 'The Big Tease', saw Spartans FC defeating Boca Juniors 5-2 in a hard-fought final in front of a small but vociferous crowd.

With both teams fielding a number of current and former national players, those in attendance knew they were in for some excellent football. Both teams had advanced to the finals by beating their opponents 7-4 earlier in the day, with Boca Juniors overcoming Real Boca Juniors FC while Spartans had dispatched Absolut Santos with absolute ease.

Both teams started very aggressively and the custodians at both ends of the court were kept quite busy, having to deflect and save a number of shots that came their way. Spartans were the more organised of the two and had more chances on goal.

Curtis Blackman got the ball rolling for Spartans with a beautiful strike that kept low and went to the left of the keeper in the 8th minute. Riviere Williams followed up just seconds later, when he scored the first of his two goals in the 9th minute.

But Boca Juniors would come storming back via a Terry Odle strike in the 11th minute that caught everyone napping. Spartans had attempted to score another goal but were denied by the Boca Juniors custodian. With most of the Spartans out of their half, Odle capitalised on their absence and sent a thunderous strike into the net. Nikos Maynard would score in the 18th minute to draw level with Spartans FC. It seemed this was heading for a nail-biting finish.

The second half belonged to Spartans who capitalised on the overzealousness of Boca Juniors last man Seon Brathwaite and went on to 3-2 thanks to Blackman. Brathwaite brought the ball down in spectacular fashion, showing a nimbleness and quickness that belies his size. He stopped short in front of the circle and passed to Maynard who tried to get the ball into the top left corner of the net. But alas it was saved by the keeper who then sent it up court and Blackman converted an easy goal.

Blackman would complete the hat-trick in the 38th minute with Williams getting his second in the 43rd minute.

In the third place game Absolute Santos came back from 2-5 at the end of the first half to defeat Real Boca Juniors 10-7. Jason 'Hacksaw' Burnham would score 5 goals in this game for the winners and was given the prize for most goals, ending the tournament with 12 goals.





Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com