KFC Elite League Cup final: Thriller ends with GDF being crowned champions

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Football Club have added another piece of silverware to their already burgeoning trophy case with a nail-biting victory over familiar foes Western Tigers Football Club on January 1.
A rematch of the January 1 final of 3 years ago, the KFC Elite League Cup final, played at the Police Sports Club Ground between the champions and runners-up of 2023’s 5th edition of the Elite League, began evenly poised, and even saw early shots on target sending the sizeable crowd of spectators into a frenzy.
However, boisterous fans had to postpone celebration of an actual goal, as both sides employed their best tactics to keep the scores locked at nil-all.

Both sides had positive chances in the first half, though. For Western Tigers, it was a set piece from just below the halfway mark that both Curtez Kellman and Marcus Wilson got a touch on. However, GDF goalkeeper Jamaine Cumberbatch got fingertips on the shot and ensured it went awry.
For GDF, Ryan Hackett was a menace, lining up his customary long shot on several occasions and giving Western Tigers keeper some diving to do.

Then, in the 54th minute, GDF’s Nicholai Andrews received his second yellow card; meaning, he was sent walking and GDF were reduced to 10 men. It seemed as though the misfortunes were finally levelled, given that Western came into the big final without the guidance of their experienced Coach Calvin ‘Fluman’ Allen, who resigned from the post a few days prior.
Scores remained the same in the second half, with Western Tigers having a solid opportunity to go ahead; but only after the ball connected with the nets did the players notice the linesman’s airborne flag.

Remaining unfazed by their fewer numbers on the field, the soldiers’ finishing continued to be a bother, leading to deadlocked scores at the end of regulation time.
The script was the same in extra time, and the game was taken down to kicks from the penalty mark. There, Western Tigers had the opportunity to win it twice, connecting their first four kicks perfectly, but squandering the fifth; while GDF had missed their fourth kick at that juncture.
However, the soldiers – and the eventual best goalkeeper of the tournament, GDF’s Jamaine Cumberbatch – held their nerve to win 8-7 on penalty kicks.
An instrumental player in the GDF’s victory, Ryan Hackett, summed up his team’s performance in a comment invited by this publication after the win. He said: “First of all, we got to thank God for making this possible; you know, for everybody come through see a new year, 2024. It was a good game. The boys them stood out, suck up the pressure and then play organized as a team; and then end up come out victorious,” Hackett related.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC eased past Buxton United 3-0 in the third-place playoff. Buxton put up a good fight early on, which saw the score remaining deadlocked until the second half. Pernel Schultz opened the scoring for the Policemen in the 61st, after which Neron Barrow quickly made it a 2-0 affair in the 69th minute. Nicholas McArthur added the cherry on top in the 86th to seal the third- place win.

Western Tigers’ Randolph Wagner was adjudged the highest goal-scorer of the tournament, while GDF’s Cumberbatch and Chris Macey were adjudged best goalkeeper and most valuable player (MVP) respectively.
The champions, GDF, carted off $1.5M, while second-placed Western Tigers had to settle for $1M. Police and Buxton United pocketed $500,000 and $250,000 for third and fourth respectively.