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Four teams, one trophy, half a million dollars. Who will cart off the spoils?
Denzil Thompson
By Michael Benjamin
The Mayor’s Cup Football extravaganza has reached an interesting stage. One day prior to the two quarter-finals matches between BK Western Tigers and Conquerors FC and the Seawall FC against Santos FC, the pundits are still divided on where to put their wagers but late yesterday afternoon the scales have begun to tip in favour of the Conquerors team.
In last year’s edition, the Conquerors were also among the favourites up to when the tournament had entered the semi-finals stage. Perched comfortably to cart off the spoils, that team had their dreams rudely disrupted by eventual tournament winners, Pele FC who subsequently defeated Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United 4-2 on penalty kicks to add the prestigious Mayor’s Cup Trophy to their bulging collection.
Now, one year later, the Conquerors team finds itself in an identical position. They have made it to the quarter-finals stage and in order to progress, must get past the lethal fangs of the Tigers.
Quite a lot has happened since the Tigers defeated tournament favourites Alpha United earlier this year.
The team was still celebrating when an in-house fracas almost spoiled the moment for them. Eventually, good sense prevailed and they were able to reassert themselves, reinstated the executive committee after the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and are prepared to tuck the Mayor’s Cup in their achievements closet.
The task must have been regarded as simple because the Tigers are oozing confidence and with a formidable lineup such confidence may well be justified.
Fruta Conquerors is also ambitious and they would be ‘juicing up’ in anticipation of a keen tussle. The feat seems possible when one notes such names as Lester Peters, Jolyon Harry and Delon Williams in their lineup. These three would be in charge of the midfield area and the pundit needs no reminder of their efficiency.
Add the competence of striker Jomo Hinds and Mustapha Haqq who alternates between the midfield and attacking positions and a sure pick seems uncertain.
The latter two players had tucked in one each in their lone match against New Amsterdam Utd earlier in the tournament to advance to their present stage. The ‘Juicy Squad’ has had the distinction of being the team to have won the Mayor’s Cup four times, representing the most times any team has done that.
“Our strength lies in the midfield and we are coming hard at the opposition,” affirmed coach, Jevon Rodrigues. “We aim to come out victorious,” he concluded.
Denzil ‘Hunky Brains’ Thompson was the man that led Pele to Kashif and Shanghai glory in 2009. Since then he has worked with the Alpha United team in their CONCACAF fixture in Haiti earlier this year and now is in charge of the Santos squad.
The lanky coach is oozing confidence. He believes that the team that plays good football on that night will win. “We will play excellent football so naturally we will win,” he prophesied.
Thompson will depend heavily on former Pele goalkeeper, Shemroy Arthur who has switched camp and now marshals the midfield position. Also, much is expected of Glenorvan Edmonds, a central mid back that has netted once in the preliminary game against Den Amstel to see his team advance. Other notable players in Santos’ lineup are the in form striker, Kacy John who also netted once against Dem Amstel and William Europe.
The game is all about strategy and Mr. Thompson is approaching his duties with resolute commitment. The results tomorrow night would determine whether his techniques are sound.
The action has boiled down to four teams with just one trophy not to mention the premium prize of five hundred thousand dollars.
Who will cart off the spoils? Football fans would just have to turn up at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground tomorrow night to witness the action as it unfolds. Kick off time is 18:00hrs sharp.
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