G MADRID are into the Grand Final of the Caribbean Welders Fishing Pond Big 8 Football Tournament after disposing of Dream Team 3-1 at the Fishing Pond Recreation Ground on Saturday.
The typical sturdy Dream Team defence was non-existent in the first-half, G Madrid’s Jaffe Stephens taking advantage of a botched clearance after a cross from the flank to tap-into the gaping net for a 1-0 lead. Some good work later on saw Deron Lewis in on goal and he placed his shot expertly past Dream Team goalie Akeem Quamina to double the advantage to the shock of the 2013 winners and their supporters.
Dream Team came within centimetres of halving the deficit on the stroke of half-time but luck was not on their side.
Central defender Perry Parris’ right-footed free-kick from the top of the ‘D’ beat the despairing dive of G Madrid goalie Aaron Ali but the ball hit the inside of the right post and ricocheted across the face of the goal and out for a throw.
Down 2-0 with just one half to rescue their title dreams, Dream Team came out full of energy in the second-half, pressuring their opponents up the field and looking and playing desperate.
The intensity immediately paid off, midfielder John Stewart beating his marker on the right and fizzing in a low cross across the G Madrid goal which defender Alec Ali slid into his own net while trying to stop it from reaching Dream Team striker Patrick Parris at the far post. It was the lifeline Dream Team needed and G Madrid began to panic a bit.
A minute later, Stephan Kerr stole the ball from a G Madrid defender and rifled a shot just past the right post to signal that the comeback was on. Kerr, slipped through delightfully down the left soon after, should have done better to get a shot off, but his first touch was poor and took him wide of the goal as the defence snuffed out the danger.
Dream Team would be forced to finish the game a man short though when Garcia came out on the wrong end of a challenge with G Madrid’s Keron James and had to leave the field with an ankle injury.
With all substitutions exhausted, Dream Team’s comeback efforts reached an anti-climax and the task became even tougher with G Madrid’s Maurice Billy scoring a third to put the game to rest.
A cross from the left found its way to the substitute following a swing and a miss by defender Markie Sylvester and the forward composed himself before drilling his shot to the far post.
Dream Team would not give up though, a Stewart free-kick bringing out a good save from Ali in the G Madrid goal but with the man advantage, G Madrid kept possession coolly to the final whistle.
They will be joined in Saturday’s final by the winner of yesterday’s semi-final between Gremio and Fishing Pond Revival.
The 2015 champion will receive $40,000 while the runners-up get $8,000. The final is scheduled for 3 pm while the third/ fourth place play-off starts at 1 pm with $5,000 and $4,000 up for grabs respectively.