Whenever the names of longstanding and consistent football clubs in the capital city of Georgetown are mentioned, the names Fruta Conquerors and Georgetown Football Club (GFC) always come to mind. As such, encounters between these two clubs should be a regular occurrence.
Team captains Nicholas Mc Arthur and Kelsey Benjamin are flanked by their teammates Ryan Hackett and Deon Alfred, GBI’s Raymond Govinda and Petra’s Jackie Boodie
But since the GFA has not been in constant operation for some years, a clash between these two powerhouse Georgetown teams would surely be a sight to behold. And it is happening tonight!
Two of the most popular football teams in Georgetown will collide this evening at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue, as they vie for top honours in the Turbo Knockout Football competition.
In this particular meeting, much more than a first prize is at stake. Although it will not be the senior Fruta Conquerors team on the pitch, the Under 20 squad has been dominating the scene in recent times, and is a worthy rival of the newly composed GFC team.
Defeating opponents with respective scores of 5-2 and 2-0 in the semifinal round, GFC and Fruta Conquerors U20 will definitely put on a fast-paced, energetic final mainly because of the strong youth component in both teams.
Needless to say, the Under 20 outfit is currently feeding off the adrenaline of winning the Limacol 2019 tournament. And this was referred to by their Head Coach Wayne St. Jules at a pre-game press conference.
“We’ve already copped the Limacol Tournament, so we’re coming out here to prove that we can do the double. We’re not underrating GFC, from what I saw, they’ve been playing good football; but we’ll be coming with all guns blazing,” St. Jules has affirmed.
The Georgetown Football Club (GFC) is, however, the team with a point to prove. While GFC has been consistent in its participation, the team has not been able to make it to this stage of any competition in recent times.
For this reason, a win in the Turbo final would be more than just another title for GFC. To the GFC, a victory — especially over a team of Fruta Conquerors’ calibre — would signify their complete redemption, and thus the legitimate resumption of their quest to return to the summit of Georgetown football excellence.
Team Coach Dellon Cadogan, while refraining from saying too much, has noted only that his XI would be leaving the talking for the field.
“Sunday’s match is going to be a really great match. I think the victory is going to go to the team that makes the least mistakes; and for some time, we’ve been working on not making mistakes, because there’s no room for that in the final. Let’s leave the talking for the field,” Cadogan suggested.
However, winning will “not come easy” for the GFC, especially against this particular opponent. Fruta Conquerors U20 team boasts talents like Nicholas Mc Arthur and Ryan Hackett, who have both spent time in the National Senior Men’s team set-up.
Other stars, like Wayne Baker and Joel Yhap, who in all probability currently has the safest pair of hands in the Under 20 division, will make things difficult for GFC.
Nevertheless, the GFC is not bereft of its own stars. Forward Kelsey Benjamin is quite experienced, having featured for Guyana on the international stage.
Deon Alfred has “made the rounds” in senior football, and possesses a wealth of knowledge on the game. Moreover, he possesses a marksman’s shot at goal.
Goalkeeper Ronnell Mc Lean has been a force to be reckoned with in this tournament.
As such, the odds are even in this fiery encounter, which begins at 21:00hrs at the MoE Ground on Carifesta Avenue. The eventual winner would walk away with $400,000, while second place settles for $200,000.
The third-place playoff, which begins at 18:30hrs, would involve Pouderoyen FC and 2018 champions Northern Rangers vying for the $100,000 third place prize. The loser will take home $50,000.
The Turbo tournament is sponsored by the Guyana Beverage Inc, and is coordinated by the Petra Organization.
