Waggy T football climaxes this weekend

Hundreds are expected to crowd the National Stadium on Saturday for the final of the Waggy T Super Knockout Football Tournament. The past two months have seen keen and exciting football; and the level should be at its highest at the teams reach for the major Prize. The ladies start the action at six in the evening with final between SGU Ladies Knights and FUTGOFF. Both scored semi-finals wins last week, to set-up an interesting play-off.

SGU Ladies Knights showed a lot of composure, coming from behind to beat St Patrick 2-1 on Saturday in a fairly even contest. Claris Alexander gave St Patrick the lead in the 10th minute; but SGU Ladies equalised in the 53rd minute through April Esquivel. Jennifer Spinozzi showed a lot of skills and brilliance running from the half-way mark, eluding three defenders in the process to win the game for her team, in a truly well-organised display.

Hard Rock celebrate after win.

Hurricanes celebrate after win.

FUTGOFF, meanwhile, produced an awesome display thrashing Petro Caribe Queens Park Rangers 7-1. Goals by national players Cherise Hood in the 5th, 10th, 30th and 54th minutes and Roneisha Frank in the 15th, 43rd and 56th minutes sunk the opposition. Meanwhile, an exciting contest is in the making when, Clarkes Court Hard Rock and Diamond Concrete Works Hurricanes meet in the Men’s Final, from around 8:15 in the evening.

They scored battling semi-finals wins last weekend, to set up what is expected to be a fascinating contest. Hard Rock beat Grenville Co-operative Credit Union Boca Juniors 5-4 on penalty kicks, after they had played to a fast, furious and gripping one-all draw during regulation time. Marcus Julien gave Hard Rock the lead in the 19th minute from the penalty sport after the ball was handled inside the box. But Hard Rock drew level in similar circumstances, when Kimmon Redhead hit the target from the spot, after the ball was also handled.

In the penalty shootout that followed, Kade Wellington, Lisdon Jules, Tyrone John and Kimmon Redhead were bang on target for Hard Rock. But Marcus Julien and Daniel Toussaint missed for Boca Juniors after Chad Mark, Kareem Jack and Josh Charles had hit the target. It also took a second penalty shootout, as Hurricanes advanced with a 5-3 triumph over the 2012 Champions LIME Paradise Sunday, after they had battled to an exciting one-all stalemate during regulation time.

National player Clive Murray put Paradise ahead in the 22nd minute; but Leon St John scored probably the goal of the tournament- a sensational 40-metre strike, which stunned the 2 000 fans at the National Stadium. Paradise could only score two of the five penalties; while Rickel Augustine, Rohan George, Cassim Langaigne and Moran Phillip, netted to give Hurricanes the advantage.

The winners collected EC$2 000 for their victories and are in line for an attractive jackpot in the final this weekend, with the winner guaranteed EC$35 000. The losing finalist earns EC$15 000. The two-month tournament climaxes in style with a big concert featuring Reggae/Soca Sensation Skinny Banton out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Reggae Sensation Charlie Black from Jamaica and local boy Tallpree. The Live and Direct Dancers are also in the swing.