The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Football Club on Tuesday departed local shores for Curaçao, where they will compete in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield 2024, beginning later this week.
By virtue of being crowned the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)-KFC Elite League Champions in 2023, the GDF team solidified their spot in the regional tournament, which will feature the best football clubs across the Caribbean.
Prior to their departure on Tuesday, the players and management of GDF football team met with Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr; GDF’s Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan; Colonel Administration and Quartering, Captain Coast Guard Vernon Burnett and other officials of the army during which the Sport Minister pledged his support for the team’s participation in the regional tournament.
The Guyana Defence Force FC punched their ticket to the CFU Club Shield after winning the 2023 KFC Elite League
The GDF shared in a missive, “During the engagements, the CDS congratulated the GDF FC and wished them success for the remainder of the competition. He made reference to Enoch Carmichael, one of the players who collapsed and died during a practice match earlier this month. The CDS directed that the team’s effort moving into the next level of the competition be dedicated to not only winning for Guyana but also to do so in memory of Carmichael.”
The Minister, on behalf of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, expressed similar sentiments and pledged his Ministry’s support to offset the GDF FC travel expenses to Curaçao. He further encouraged the team to play as a collective and to remain focused throughout the tournament.
GDF FC met with Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, who assured them of his Ministry’s support
GDF FC will have just about two days’ worth of preparation in Curaçao before they go into action on Friday, July 26. There, Guyana’s top club will face off with Grenades Football Club out of Antigua and Barbuda at 17:30h. if the soldiers are successful in their preliminary match on Friday, they will move on to play Bonaire’s SV Real Rincon in the Round of 16 at 17:30h on Sunday, July 28.
Another positive result can likely pit GDF against CFU Club Shield defending champions SV Robinhood out of Suriname in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, July 30. SV Robinhood will also need a positive result in the Round of 16.
In addition to Caribbean glory, there will be more at stake for the GDF as they compete in the Club Shield tournament, since the winners and runner- ups will book a place in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, which is scheduled to kick off Tuesday, August 20.
The CFU Club Shield will run from July 25 to August 4, with this year’s edition being the fifth since 2010 for which the GDF FC have qualified.
