Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 05, 2015 Sports
Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United versus Bakewell Slingerz; a match that has more than just
$2M at stake, will be contested tonight at the Guyana National Stadium, as the curtains come down on the 25th Kashif and Shanghai football tournament.
Described as two of the country’s biggest clubs, the two sides will meet for the fourth time in two years and so far it’s the ‘Hammers’ who hold a 3 – 0 record in the matchups.
The Vergenoegen based club on debut in the tournament, defeated Victoria Kings and Fruta Conquerors by a 2 – 1 margins, while running rampage on Riddim Squad, winning 4 – 0 to book their place in tonight’s finals.
For Alpha United, the country’s number one club, a 2 – 0 victory over Agricola Red Triangle followed by a 5 – 0 swamping of the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) and 1 – 0 win over Pele saw them through to face their most potent foes.
The last time the two sides met, Alpha United came away 5 – 0 winners but much has changed, according to Slingerz FC captain Vurlon Mills.
Speaking at a Press Conference yesterday at the 704 Sports Bar, one of the tournament’s sponsor, Mills pointed out that, “This time around, we’ve got a more discipline bunch of players and we’re very disciplined going into the finals. We’re not looking out to any big expectation, just going out and get the job done on the night because a lot of people are looking forward to this final.”
Wensley Christoph, the Surinamese International winger will once again be at a forefront for the ‘West Side’ team, joining Mills, Devon Millington (scored three goals in three matches), Dominican striker Julian Wade, Anthony Abrams, Colin Nelson, King Solomon Austin and Joshua Brown.
For the ‘Hammers’, their Captain Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson is by far one of the best the country has to offer and along with Daniel Wilson, Manasseh Primo, goalkeeper Ronson Williams, Sheldon Holder, Calvin Shepherd and Chris Camacho, they will play part of the cast that will be responsible for getting Alpha United their third title (having won in 2007 and 2010).
“Alpha United take every game serious regardless of its a big club like Slingerz or a minnow because on the football field, it is not names that win games, but it’s the good performance and who capitalise on their chances so every game we take very serious,” said Alpha United’s head coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover.
According to Dover, things are different now with the Bakewell sponsored team, noting “The previous encounters, we got the better of them from a tactical stand point and I think on the night the team that comes being the more tactical based on the preparation they’ve put in.”
With Alpha United set to participate in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, Dover said that the tournament has so far provided his charges with the preparation needed for the regional completion but tonight’s final will be their ultimate test.
“This would be one of our biggest games when it comes to local football,” Richardson said, adding, “This game is worth more than what people think to Alpha because we don’t prove no point, we play the football that we always do and we do the right things what the coach say and this a test towards the CFU.”
For Slingerz FC, one would believe that the pressure must be high on Coach Joseph ‘Bill’ Wilson and his troops, but the team’s captain is of the opinion that, “Alpha will have the pressure, trying to maintain their record against us and we’re coming looking for the win, putting in 100% and ready for the game.”
Wilson said that he refuses to let his team fall prey to public pressure or that of any form and encourages his players to stay focused on only executing what was taught during training and the victory will fall into place.
“We’re just happy to know that we’ve come a long way as a club and as a team and we know that Alpha has been the number one team for a number of years and they should be the more pressured team because we feel no pressure we’re just going out their looking for the win. No coach can determine results we can only hope that the work we’ve put in the players can do,” Wilson said.
Riddim Squad and Pele will face each other in the third place play-off where the winner of that game will pocket $750,000 and the loser $500,000. Kick off time is 6:30 pm.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
Mar 29, 2024
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