Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Mayor’s Cup Football Championship…Keen duels predict as competition enters semi-finals stage
By Michael Benjamin
They rode their luck and made it up to the quarter finals stage but fortunes swayed for the footballers of the Guyana Police Force when, despite a spirited performance, they succumbed to Pele 1 nil when matches in quarter final stage of the Mayor’s Cup Football Championship ended at the Georgetown Football Club Ground last Friday evening.
Vurlon Mills
This was just before Slingerz joined the elite group and also qualified for the semi-finals after defeating Rhythm Squad 2 nil in the feature attraction.
Once again, Omallo Williams was Pele’s saviour with a pin-point shot in the 22nd minute. Staunch defensive tactics ensured that his team maintained that lead right down to the final whistle.
Julian Wade opened Slingerz account in the 7th minute, while Vurlon Mills continued his rich vein of form and supported in the 62nd minute.
Pele played robust football and the referee was kept busy issuing out yellow cards to Okennie Fraser, Keoma Greavesande and Williams while the lawmen received one such caution through Lennox Morris.
The dependable Slingerz striker, Devon Millington, found the going tough as the Rhythm Squad defence kept him in check, restricting his goal scoring opportunities. He was also cited for mild aggression and received his team’s sole yellow card, while Riddim Squad’s star strikers, Amos Ramsey and Sceyon Hope received similar citations in the 64th and 85th minutes. Dorville Stuart was also yellow carded four minutes before regulation time.
The players rested last evening and when action resumed this evening, the GFC will oppose Conquerors in the preliminary game, while Western Tigers will be up against Ann’s Grove.
Ann’s Grove started the tournament among the minnows but fans began to perk up when that team went on to upset Camptown. Maxton Adams, Quincy Johnson and Kevin Barry had been the players to score in that match and much will once again rest on their shoulders. Collis Hall is the man between the uprights and he will be required to repeat his theatrics that left Camptown scoreless in their encounter. Ann’s Grove starting line-up will also include the likes of Andre Murray, Linden Roberts, Jermin Clarke and Sherwin Griffith and the lads from the East Coast village will nurture ambitions of progressing to the semi-final stage.
When one examines the quality of their opponents, one may be tempted to dismiss their (Ann’s Grove) ambitions as over optimistic. Dereck Carter is between the uprights and he has improved leaps and bounds to the extent that he was selected for national duties when the Golden Jaguars opposed Barbados in an International Friendly less than two weeks ago.
But even before reaching the goal, Ann’s Grove will have to contend with such players as Phillip Rowley, Joshua Britton, Deron Benjamin, Christopher Williams and Ryan Adolph, in their quest to advance to the semi-final stage.
Fruta Conquerors eked past New Amsterdam United 4-3 on penalty kicks in their last match after regulation and extra time ended in a 2-2 stalemate and the former team will have to definitely up their game in the match against GFC tonight. They have the requisite resources to do so but a victory will depend heavily on whether the team will click as a unit. With such big names as Sheldon Holder, Chris Camacho, Daniel Wilson and Jermaine Junor, the team out of Tucville will fancy its chances.
Their opponents are not expected to lie down and die and the ‘juicy team’ could expect opposition from the likes of Calvin Shephard, Stephen Wilson, Dellon Cadogan, Gregory Denny and Jamal Williams.
The teams are now entering the money rounds and all eyes will be riveted on that first place prize of one million dollars, put up by Banks DIH Ltd, plus bragging rights for one whole year. The runners-up cart off $300,000 while the 3rd and 4th place finishers receive $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.
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