Golden Jags, Bajan Tridents champing at the bit for today’s encounter

Both the Guyanese and Barbadian national football teams have expressed eagerness and readiness to get the CONCACAF Nations League started, as both see it as their next step on the long road to World Cup qualification.
With neither team being intimidated by the opposition, and with each team predicting they will emerge victorious, football fans are in for an exciting,

exhilarating, and no-holds-barred clash at the Leonora Track and Field facility when the Golden Jaguars and the Bajan Tridents collide today in an encounter that can have only one winner.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday afternoon ahead of today’s encounter, newly appointed Golden Jaguars Coach Michael Johnson said he is positive, not only about the match, but about Guyana’s future in football.

“What you’ll see tomorrow is a team that’s confident. This team is a very, very good team; it’s a team that has a lot of attacking flare, a lot of players that I believe if you release the shackles off, they could be a real threat. So I’m excited about tomorrow; but not only tomorrow, I’m excited about the long-term future,” Johnson has said.

On a similar train of thought, Captain of the local team, Samuel Cox, spoke on how well the team has come to know each other owing to several training opportunities.

“Our preparations have gone well thus far. We’ve had two solid weeks in Brazil, and the last four days have gone well. Of course we’ve got a nice blend of players now; we’ve got a good crop of young players. Everybody is excited and optimistic for tomorrow’s fixture against Barbados.”

The Bajans, however, are certainly fancying their chances of being able to whip the Guyana side on their own turf and in front of their own Guyanese fans. They probably even think this feat can be achieved on any day in any Guyanese calendar.

Technical Director of the Bajan Tridents, Ahmed Mohamed, revealed that the team has been banded together most of the time, and only three players (inclusive of the goalkeeper) are overseas players.

Noting that the Tridents have played countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and St. Kitts in preparation for the League, Team Manager Martin Newton hinted at the possibility that the Bajans may also be familiar with the way the Guyanese team plays, because of their last encounter two years ago.

“Despite we have not beaten Guyana, we still have 8 or 10 players that played in that match we drew against you back in Barbados. So despite the fact that we have a young team, it’s full of experience,” Newton said.

When challenged about the 19 period that Barbados has not been able to defeat Guyana, Technical Director Ahmed Mohamed boldly stated that he is here to change that.

“That was yesterday! We’re talking from today, and today is a different day. The reason why I’m here is to change that, so we will see that tomorrow night. We are ready for you guys. Something will happen, and something will change,” he declared.

The Technical Director went on to disclose that the Tridents have been training together for the past two years, and have played enough matches to be adequately prepared and ready for the league.

“That team that I have brings enough experience to deliver (a win) tomorrow night (today),” Mohamed predicted.

The highly anticipated clash will go down at the Leonora Track and Field Facility from 19hrs this evening.

Guyana has been grouped with Barbados, Turks and Caicos Islands, French Guiana and Belize, and will play host to Barbados and Belize in September 2018 and March 2019 respectively; while Turks and Caicos Islands and French Guiana will host Guyana in October and November 2018.