Boys Town, Athletico in Sweet 16 final

STEPHON NICHOLAS

Boys Town will clash with Athletico at 9pm tonight with $50,000 up for grabs in the grand final of the Sweet Sixteen Football League at the Ojoe Road Recereation Ground, Sangre Grande.

Boys Town crushed Guaya United 3-0 on Thursday to storm into the final in the first of a doubleheader. An own goal plus one apiece from Kareem Creighton and Keron Bethelemy sealed proceedings for Boys Town.

Creighton opened the scoring with a volley from a corner that gave Boys Town a halftime lead. With Boys Town dominating play and pinning Guaya in their half, the pressure told in the second half and the defence cracked again with an own goal making it 2-0. Bethelemy put the icing in the cake with a late effort.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Boys Town forward Irvin Reyes praised the performance of the team.

"We had it covered. We played the football and we really wanted it. They really didn't have no answer for we," he said.

Boys Town manager Daryl "Blem" Miranda" singled out his defence for another shutout in the knockout round.

"My defence have me where I am today. My defence real strong and solid – whole backline and the 'keeper too – everybody playing their part."

Blem said the reorganising of the defence with Isaiah "Pogba" Smith and Kareem Creighton pairing at centre back, Nickel Nicholas at right back and Shakeel "Shabba" Edwards on the left, is proving a tough nut to crack.

Looking forward to the final, Blem said he is expecting a quality showing from both teams.

"You gonna see two really good sides; two teams who people were underestimating; two teams who were playing all the football for the whole season."

In the other semi-final, Athletico came from a goal down to beat Matura Reunited 2-1 to advance to the final.

Kendis Garcia put Matura on their way with a first half strike that held to the break. But Athletico came roaring back in the second period with Kylon Gay and Jeron Jones finding the back of the net to complete the turnaround.

Athletico skipper Simeone Augustus, who hails from Boys Town, said it would be a strange feeling competing against his home team.

"Boys Town is a very good team. To be in a final you have to be a good team. I know the team really well. I am from Boys Town, I played for Boys Town before, and it will be different playing against them in a final. It's going to be a good, tough final. The fans should come out and see that game."

Augustus said, similar to their opponents tomorrow, Athletico chose to utilise mostly Sangre Grande-based players instead of pros competing in the Pro League or Super League.

"We chose to go with a lot of the youths together with one or two experienced players, and simply to uplift some of the youths. It's not just about going and win a tournament. It so happen that everyone gel and here we are in the final."

FINAL: Boys Town vs Athletico (9pm)

THIRD PLACE: Matura Reunited vs Guaya (7pm)