Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
STAG Nations Cup KO Football Final – Western Tigers vs Santos …Tactical battle tonight as Coaches confident of winning
By Franklin Wilson
The 2016/17 edition of the Stag Nations Cup knock-out football championship is set to climax tonight at the Georgetown Football Club ground with the final between arch rivals Western Tigers and Santos Football
Santos FC during their final training session at the Parade ground yesterday afternoon.
Club.
The respective Coaches have expressed confidence in their charges and are both positive of claiming victory and the top prize of 2Million dollars, 1 Million will go to the loser. The third place match, which kicks off at 19:00hrs, will see losing semi finalists, Guyana Police Force and Riddim Squad throwing down the gauntlet at each other with the winner set to pocket $500,000 and the loser, $300,000.
In the Georgetown Football Association Premier League last year, Santos won the first round match against Western which rebounded in the final match of the season to turn the tables and produce a win which secured the championship for the West Ruimveldt based unit.
So tonight’s showdown has all the ingredients for an explosive tactical battle between a young, energetic and hungry Santos against a seasoned Tigers unit out to prove that experience is what it takes to deliver the prize on the big stage; that is what it is tonight.
On his third stint in charge of the red hot Western Tigers, Calvin Allen, who took over the team last July, boasts that under his tenure collectively, Santos have never defeated the Tigers. He said that the game Santos won in the GFA League last year, he was not in charge.
Allen aka Flu, confidently stated that his charges would be going all out to conquer Santos once again and in this regard, they have been putting in the necessary work, noting that the players are warming to the new style of play he’s implementing.
”Confidence is high among my players, I do believe that we have more depth than our opponents, we have an experienced unit and I think this is the difference between the two sides,” Allen asserted.
Western Tigers players doing some stretches at their West Ruimvedlt ground yesterday afternoon ahead of today’s final.
He also said that rather than individual effort, he is banking on a total team effort to see them over the line.
Allen’s counterpart at Santos, Kavin Pearce, also exuded confidence and was quick to point out that he was in charge when Santos had defeated Western Tigers in that first round Premier League match but was overseas when the Tigers turned the tables.
The experienced Pearce informed that he is very proud of his young charges and has offered congratulations to them for their discipline and focus which has seen them to this stage to date.
”This is a young team which I inherited last year, I would like to say that they have really been working hard and improving with each match. With all but two of our players being under-19 you can understand and appreciate the level of commitment they have been showing in order to reap the kind of rewards they have been enjoying.”
Pearce also pointed out that his record speaks for itself when it comes to playing against the Tigers. Santos, leaving no stones unturned to tame the Tigers tonight, encamped their team from yesterday afternoon.
While encouraging the Santos fans to wear white in support of their team, Pearce said that he is banking on his U19 brigade of Captain Samuel Hunte, Job Caesar, Delon David, Omar Jones (goalkeeper), Orin Yard along with the experienced Brian October and Vassel Cansellar to take them to championship glory.
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