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Football fans in the Sangre Grande and environs area came out in their numbers on Saturday for the opening of the Caribbean Welders Fishing Pond 9-a-side Football League. Fans got a treat with two exhibition games as well as a family day environment with food, drinks and music.

Action got underway around 2 pm with a march past of teams which was won by Coca All-Stars who copped the $1,000 prize and trophy.

This was followed by a match between Take That and Cool It and North Oropouche with the former team emerging victorious 4-1.

Then it was the match everyone wanted to see with Friends International featuring several ex-national players against Coca All-Stars.

Coca opened the scoring courtesy Tim Robinson and held the lead going into the halftime interval. But Friends International came storming back in the second period to equalise through Kenrick Watkins. Coca were not to denied and got the winning goal which came off the boot of Anderson Richardson.

The tournament will kick-off this weekend with Fishing Pond FC taking on Quash Trace at 2 pm on Saturday while two hours later, Comparo United meet Coca All-Stars.

There will be a doubleheader as well on Sunday with defending champs Xpress Overcome against Problems FC at 2 pm while Dream Team battle North Oropouche at 4 pm.

League organiser, Prakash Ramkissoon, is imploring all teams to be on time for their matches or risk losing by default.

Meanwhile, Terry Rondon, Councillor for the area, was present at the opening and promised full support for the tournament this year.

“Let me first congratulate Ramkissoon for bringing the youth in the surrounding area together and keeping them off the streets. I’m taking a very active part this year that every match day we will have giveaways and I will bring other big teams here.

We have plans at the Regional Corporation that we light this ground and I am happy for this competition and they have all my support,” Rondon declared.

The Councillor noted that rural areas are usually neglected but praised the various sponsors of the competition for supporting a league in the area. The Sangre Grande Regional Corporation is sponsoring a $500 prize for the Most Disciplined Team who will also receive a trophy.

Sponsors for the tournament also include Caribbean Welders, Genius Contractors, Benji Bakery, Paharry Hardware and Construction, Green Zone and Edward “Eddie” Mark.

The winner of this year’s competition will take home $25,000 while the second-placed team will receive $6,000. The teams finishing third and fourth will be awarded $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.