PRESS RELEASE – The main draw of the Bank of Guam 8^th Annual GFA Cup is set to begin with matches Friday evening at the Guam Footall Association National Training Center.

The first match of the main draw will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, pitting Guam Shipyard and FC Beercelona, followed by the Southern Cobras taking on the Big Blue Masters at 9 p.m.

A total of 22 teams entered the annual tournament that crowns Guam’s top men’s soccer team for the year.

All Masters Division teams of the Budweiser Soccer League were placed into the preliminary round draw with the bottom seven teams of the league’s Division II based on standings prior to the official draw held March 18. The six winners from the preliminary round, along with the top three teams of Division II and all seven teams from Division I, were put in a blind draw to fill in slots in the tournament’s main bracket.

In preliminary round action, Big Blue Masters and FC Beercelona were the first to qualify for the main draw. Big Blue Masters defeated the Rovers Masters 4-3 in extra time with two goals from Pepito Bedia, Jr. and one each from Noel Casilao and Roy Abril. Ramsey Chichakli scored twice and teammate Atsushi Yamamuro once for the Rovers in the loss. FC Beercelona won by forfeit over Big Blue DII.

In other preliminary round matches, Shinko Siheky FC defeated IT&E Masters 11-0 with two goals each from Logan Blackwelder, Shinya Yasuda, Dong Keun Kim, and Thomas Park, and one each from Nick Shoji, Yoshiaki Shinozaki, and Daniel Taitano. Shinko Siheky finished in fourth place in the final BSL Division II standings.

Strykers FC DII defeated Pago Bay Disasters 3-1 with two goals from Luke Reeder and one from Jeremy Wendal. Nicholas Rivera scored for Pago Bay.

The United Masters outlasted the Crushers FC 2-1 with a goal each from James Probola and Hayato Tan. Juan Cruz scored the Crushers’ goal in the 13^th minute.

The Strykers Masters advanced to the main draw with a forfeit win over Hyundai Family FC.

Teams that automatically qualified for the tournament’s main draw are the Rovers FC DI, Payless Supermarket Strykers, Quality Distributors, Guam Shipyard, Southern Cobras, Paradise Fitness Sidekicks, Doosan FC, Rovers FC DII, Islanders FC, and Tumon.

The tournament’s final match is slated for 7 p.m. May 24. An updated bracket with the tournament’s schedule is available online at http://www.guamfa.com/all-leagues-mens-gfa-cup-results

PHOTO GALLERY:

Big Blue Masters’ Roy Abril advances the ball with a header past the Rovers Masters’ Carlos Barajas during a preliminary round match of the Bank of Guam 8th Annual GFA Cup at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Big Blue Masters defeated Rovers Masters 4-3 in extra time.

The Strykers FC DII’s Matthew Elwell looks to attempt a run to the goal facing defensive pressure from Pago Bay Disasters’ Nicholas Rivera during a preliminary round match of the Bank of Guam 8th Annual GFA Cup at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Strykers FC DII defeated Pago Bay 3-1.

IT&E’s first-half goalkeeper Kevin Malakooti extends to try to take the ball away from Shinko Siheky FC’s Nick Shoji during a preliminary round match of the Bank of Guam 8th Annual GFA Cup at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Shinko Siheky FC defeated the IT&E Masters team 11-0

The Crushers FC’s Joshua Pangelinan prepares to pass the ball during a preliminary round match of the Bank of Guam 8th Annual GFA Cup against the United Masters at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. United Masters defeated the Crushers 2-1.

United Masters’ Hayato Tan makes a run to the goal against the Crushers FC during a preliminary round match of the Bank of Guam 8th Annual GFA Cup at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. United Masters defeated the Crushers 2-1.