KFC Elite League: Management satisfied with GDF, Slingerz first-half performances

Labelled the “Clash of the Titans” by many, the recently-concluded clash between the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC and the Slingerz FC was one to watch.
Evidently, many got that memo as probably in excess of 1000 avid Guyanese football fans turned up at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to witness their first encounter since Slingerz rejoined the league in 2024.
Tempers flared, fouls were called, and referees’ decisions were questioned – but all in all, it was a great game of football featuring many of the country’s top players in action.

In the aftermath of it all, Head Coach of the defending champions GDF, Joseph “Bill” Wilson related that his team’s performance could have been better on Saturday last.
“Well, it could always be better, that’s given. They worked hard, they give what they could give for themselves, but when we sit and we look back for our analysis, we would actually [see] what are some of the things we need to work on,” Wilson told Guyana Times Sport exclusively.
He added, “I could pinpoint now, our finishing in this first round of the league, although we score so many goals, I think that’s something we need to sharpen up on. We’ve been doing it at training, we’ve been working at it. Like everything else, it’s a work in progress.”
On the topic of the first round’s conclusion, Wilson rated GDF’s performance in the first half as great.

The GDF Head Coach explained, “Well, great. To be honest with you, I thought the guys gave a good account of themselves, the whole squad. I’ve been rotating players in this first half of the league, right, to have fresh energised legs game in, game out to give some young players opportunities and I thought they gave a good account for themselves. I am happy that the team came out on top of this first round, albeit goal average, but I thought we’re improving. We’re going good so far.”
On the other hand, Assistant Slingerz FC Coach O’Neal Heywood revealed that his side came to win against GDF, but were still satisfied with the stalemate result.
Heywood told this publication, “We came to win the game, so that we would go ahead into the second half of the league in front, but we’re satisfied with the draw nevertheless.
“Well, the game that we play, we does possess the ball a lot and we didn’t do that enough tonight. We didn’t have enough ball possession and that’s what end up causing us to draw the game,” he added.
For a team that just re-entered the Elite League, Heywood rated their first-half performance as excellent.
“Excellent. It was an excellent performance, we didn’t lose no game, we conceded less goals and we’re on same points with the current defending champions. So, it’s satisfactory,” Heywood related to this publication.
The KFC Elite League will continue today, Tuesday, May 7 with a clash between Western Tigers FC and Den Amstel FC at 19:00h, which will mark the conclusion of the first round of Season Six.
The League will, thereafter, take a short break and resume on Saturday, May 18. (Jemima Holmes)