Latest update March 19th, 2025 5:46 AM
Latest News
- ExxonMobil commences “busiest year yet”
- With eyes on Guyana, Chevron buys 5% of Hess shares
- Another ExxonM study warns of impact to fish from degraded water quality
- Over 400 hundred dead, thousands beneath the rubble in one night
- Guyanese man drowns after jumping into Takatu River to escape bee attack
Battle tested Leopold Street starts as underdogs against Back Circle
– Third place playoff should be a scorcher
By Rawle Welch
Battle tested Leopold Street even after withstanding three close encounters where they won two in penalty shootouts and the other, a narrow 1-0 triumph over a star-studded West Front Road are still being seen as the underdogs when they face defending champions Back Circle in tonight’s final of the Banks DIH-sponsored ‘Guinness Greatest of de Streets’, at the National Park.
The West Georgetown-based unit defied all the odds to make it to the championship round, knocking out a strong Albouystown ‘A’ side, before doing the same to Hope Street of Tiger Bay, two teams that were highly favoured to defeat them.
Known as the ‘giant killers’ in this year’s competition, the team is now one victory away from claiming what will be a well deserved title should they manage to pull off another major upset against a team that has also shown quality and resilience throughout their reign as champions.
This is what this evening’s finals of the Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ Competition could look like at the National Park.
Leopold Street will pin their hopes on the performances of former ‘Golden Jaguars’ midfielder Konata Manning, former junior standout Omallo Williams, Roger Bourne, A. Sookhoo and Hugh Argyle to lead them to victory.
On the other hand, Back Circle need no introduction to the fans, having represented Guyana at the highest level of the format in the Caribbean Challenge Tournament held here earlier this year, losing in the final to a team from St. Vincent.
The champs this year has not looked as invincible as last year, but they are an experienced unit and know how to get the job done on the big occasion. They survived a nerve racking penalty shootout against counterparts East Front Road, before prevailing 13-12 in their quarter-final encounter, while escaping with a slim 1-0 win over Broad Street ‘B’ in the semi-finals.
Andy Duke, Dexter Bentick, Vincent Thomas, Wayne Wilson and Leon Murray will have to be in flawless form to ensure that the contest is decided in regulation time since the opposition has been riding their luck expertly so far in the competition.
Up for grabs is $600,000 for the winning team plus a trophy, while the losing finalist takes home $300,000 and a trophy, 3rd place winner $200,000 and 4th place finisher $100,000.
The third place playoff is between West Front Road and Broad Street ‘B’ and this affair promises to be another fascinating clash which could go either way.
West Front Road will once again be depending on the services of the Pedro clan Michael and Hubert along with support from Randolph Wagner to bolster their chances of winning, while the Gravesande brothers Jimmy and Rocky, Daniel Favourite and Kevin Griffith will be looking to make up for the disappointment of not being in the final.
One thing is certain, all four teams will be bringing their fan base with them and the atmosphere is anticipated to be electric. In the exhibition segment, Upper Level will collide with Guinness Bar for the top prize, while Clippers Barber Shop takes on GT Masters for third place. Action kicks off at 20:00 hrs.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
America does not fight for free
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Guyana must be wary of America. That much is clear. The United States has recently issued... more
If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- In the latest... more
Weekend Cartoon
