“Success is just around the corner”: Pele FC confident ahead of Elite League Qualifiers

Having missed the opportunity by a solitary point in 2023, Pele Football Club got their redemption after winning the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Senior Men’s League in 2024, by which they secured a spot in the Elite League Qualification tournament.
On Sunday, the Georgetown club will play their first game of the qualification tournament when they come up against East Bank Football Association’s (EBFA) Agricola Red Triangle at the Uitvlugt Ground, West Coast Demerara (WBD).
<<Guyana Times Sport>> had a chat with the Pele team during one of that team’s training sessions, and both coach and players were pretty confident of victory heading into the all-important tournament.
Asked about their ascension to the Elite League playoffs, Coach Justin Bentick, in shared his elation at reaching this stage, noted that it means a lot to him as a coach.

“Pele FC is a fairly young group, and they just won the Georgetown League, after 27 years. So, we’re super happy to be part of the Elite League Qualification tournament. Going forward with a young bunch, they’re willing to play and we’re ready to compete,” Bentick told this publication.
“It means a lot to me, as a coach. I’m super happy to know that, at this point, we rebuilt from scratch and we’re back into a playoff,” he disclosed.
Michael Hunter, one of the team’s players, articulated the team’s confidence heading into Sunday’s game, but was cautious enough not to underestimate the opposition.
“We’re pretty confident (after) putting in the hard work, high-intensity team work in the sessions. So, we’re pretty confident. We know we’ll make it to the Elite League, and we ain’t got no doubt about it,” Hunter related.
The Pele player added in regard to the other teams in the competition, “Confident, but we can’t take it (win) for granted, cause they’re the champions of their regions as well. So, we can’t get complacent, we got to keep working, keep going, and we got to put we 100% into the game.”
Also having redemption on his mind, the Pele player reflected on how their missed opportunity in the Elite League Qualifiers to Beacon FC in 2023 has given the team some sort of added motivation.

“It would mean a lot! We been working, and last year we missed it by a point. So, we ain’t missing it this year for sure!” Hunter expressed.
Quizzed on what Pele FC needs to work on in order to come out on top of the qualification tournament, Hunter took the technical route while his coach had some valuable advice for his troops.
“Probably just our finishing, at this point, and some chemistry. But other than that, we’re good,” Hunter shared on what his team needs to do in order to be successful.
On the other hand, Coach Bentick expressed, “Be more mature, and just play! Play as a team! Fight as a team! Play as a unit! Attack as a unit! Defend as a unit, and success is just around the corner!”
The clash between Pele FC and Agricola is set for 15:00hrs on Sunday. The winner of that clash will move on to the semifinal round.
The Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Elite League Qualification tournament kicks off today with Mahaica Determinators and Paradise Invaders FC meeting at the Rosignol Ground at 16:00hrs. Winner of the tournament would gain an automatic spot in this year’s Season 7 of the Elite League, while second-place finisher would challenge Ann’s Grove United for their spot in the League. (Jemima Holmes)