GFF-NAMILCO Wheat-Up Maid Marian Women’s Cup kicks off

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with title sponsor NAMILCO, officially launched the highly-anticipated Maid Marian Wheat-Up Women’s Cup on Saturday.
This tournament represents a significant milestone for women’s football in Guyana, as it aims to foster greater female participation in the sport and provide a platform for players to showcase their talent. The tournament will span several weeks, culminating in a grand finale on January 4, 2024.
GFF President Wayne Forde delivered an inspiring address during the opening ceremony, emphasising the importance of women’s football in Guyana’s development strategy. He said; “During this traditional end-of-year football season, our female footballers will add a special flavour to the festive season by lighting up the hearts of the fans over the next five remaining weeks of the Maid Marian Wheat-Up Women’s Cup. Women’s football is a key pillar of our development strategy. Our female players deserve a consistent platform to gain valuable game time and showcase their talent, and this is exactly what this tournament aims to achieve. I would like to encourage the fans to come out and enjoy the beauty of women’s football.”

The sponsors also shared their enthusiasm for the tournament.
Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI) General Manager Samuel Arjoon remarked, “This tournament provides equal opportunity for women. Women should have equal opportunity whether it be in sports, academia, or other aspects of society. We are very proud to be a part of this. Your names will go down in history.”
Meanwhile, the Financial Controller of NAMILCO, Fitzroy McLeod added, “We hope to see many of you representing Guyana, if you’re not already on the verge of the age group teams to compete nationally. We are happy to join with our partners to get this programme going, and this is going to be one that will prove beneficial and exciting as we go on in the future.”
The opening day delivered thrilling action with four matches played:
Match 1: Guyana Defence Force Group A dominated Fruta Conquerors FC with an 11-0 victory. Glendy Lewis led the charge with five goals, while Jalade Trim scored four, Sandra Johnson added one, and an own goal by Fruta Conquerors completed the tally.
Match 2: The Junior Lady Jags secured a narrow 1-0 win over Georgetown Kanaimas, with Angel Ramniranjin scoring the decisive goal.
Match 3: GDF Group B triumphed over Georgetown Kanaimas 2-0, with goals from Abioce Heywood and Nikita Wayne.
Match 4: Police Force Group A showcased their strength in a 4-0 victory against the Junior Lady Jags. Shontella Greene, Horacia Adams, Amanda McKenzie, and Jinelle Edmondson each found the back of the net.
Looking ahead, the tournament promises to be an exciting showcase of talent and competition as teams vie for the title. Fans are encouraged to attend the upcoming matches and support the continued growth of women’s football in Guyana.