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Pulsating climax to Mayor’s Cup Football championships as Santos oppose GDF
After several weeks of pulsating action, the Mayor’s Cup Football championships climaxes to an action packed culmination when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) shoulders arms against Santos FC in an ‘if you miss it you miss half of your life’ encounter at the Georgetown Football Club ground tonight.
Football pundits tracking the matches from the onset were unable to predict the principals for the finals as fortunes fluctuated from one team to the next. From the inaugural match when Uprising Football Club scored an unlikely 2-0 victory over Camptown FC to the semi-finals when Santos FC registered a 3-1 victory over tournament favourite, Fruta Conquerors FC, football buffs were guessing the outcomes.
Conquerors, the team to have won the Mayor’s Cup the most since its inauguration had fancied its chances of ascending to the helm but for the astuteness of the Santos team, which shattered the former team’s dream and propelled the latter to a berth in tonight’s finals.
In the semi-finals encounter Santos trailed up to the half time whistle compliments of a Neville Stanton’s 17th minute success. The determination of the Santos players were evident when William Europe counterattacked promptly on resumption of the second half and stitched in the equalizer, one minute into the second stanza of the game, a blow that was definitive since it ensured that the two teams went into extra time and subsequently, penalty kicks that Santos won 3-1.
Tonight, Santos would once again pin their hopes on this nippy striker in the outside midfield position and if he retains his form, it could be curtains for the opposition.
As valuable as Europe’s contribution is, he is not the entire team. He would depend on the support of Captain Genorvan Edmonds, also in the midfield position and striker Michael Pedro. The fitness of O’Neil Heywood could also add to the advantage of the Santos team. Add strong backup from Jermaine Fraser and Lennox Charles shoring up the defence cordon and one could visualize the spine tingling encounter in store.
Yesterday afternoon a member of Santos’ Executive FC Rawle Adams was very upbeat. He believes that his team is more tactically sound than the opposition. Santos has never won this trophy before but in predicting the outcome Adams is extremely confident. “We have been playing excellent football all through the tournament and I expect the boys to keep up the tempo,” he said. In addition, to a pointed question he replied, “I will not predict a margin of winning but I will definitely say that we will win.”
Coach of the GDF, Marlon Washington scoffed at Adams’ predictions. “We are concentrating on this game and we are not taking them (Santos) lightly,” he said. When told of the confidence exuding from the Santos coach, Washington said, “Santos have not yet reached the level of skill and offensive play the likes of our strikers, Telson McKennon, Delroy Deene and Stellon David so they are talking loosely.” He warned that the game would be a grueling encounter and in the end, his team would prevail. The Army coach is further pinning his hopes on Marlon Benjamin, Desford Williams and Eusi Phillips in the midfield position. “If I pronounce that the Army would cart off the spoils football buffs would believe I am just being loyal so I would prefer to encourage them to come along tonight and witness the Army as they clinically decimate Santos.”
While fans would wish to witness this grueling encounter, they would have to wait a little after the third place playoff between Fruta Conquerors FC and Riddim Squad. The former team go into the game as the favourites but with the way things have panned out over the past few weeks, there might still be a few surprises in store for football fans. Kickoff time is 18:00hrs. However, an exhibition game between Grove Hi Tech and Timehri Panthers will set the tone at 17:30hrs.
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