IT’S down to the semi-finals of the third annual Bakewell Buxton Stars-organised, Mackeson Stout/Digicel-sponsored Sweet 16 football tournament which kicks off tonight at the Plaisance/Industry Community Centre ground.
In the first match which gets under way from 18:00 h, Fruta Conquerors will go up against BV/Triumph United with the feature match between reigning Kashif and Shanghai champions BK International Western Tigers and Santos from 20:00 h.
No team can consider themselves fortunate as BV/Triumph United had Lady Luck smile on them as they were reinstated into the tournament after suffering a first-round defeat at the hands of Flamingo, who were later disqualified for playing non-registered players.
BV/Triumph United took advantage of their second opportunity to defeat the host team 2-0 in their quarterfinal encounter and book their match-up against Fruta Conquerors who had earlier defeated Golden Stars 3-0.
Berbice’s Shawn Daniels and Ronnel Gordon will lead BV/Triumph United’s attack while Otula Grant, Desmond Williams, Nickel Fraser, Malcolm Wilson and Devon Wilson will add support, and at the same time look to turn back the challenges of the Georgetown-based Fruta Conquerors lineup.
They can expect a stern test from their opponents who are in a confident mood having played back-to-back matches in both the Sweet 16 and their very own NAMILCO Festival last Thursday and Friday nights respectively.
Their strike force will be led by 17-year-old wonder boy Tavis Hackett, with the veteran Gerald Gittens, Travis Hyman, Eon Alleyne and Collin Edwards adding support, with the ever dependable Oswald Cornette executing the duties between the uprights.
The BK International Western Tigers/Santos clash is the perfect main course for the night, in a competition which saw many surprises being sprung from the lesser known teams.
The West Ruimveldt-based club, who recently launched their Super 8 knockout tournament, will be led by Sherman David, who should have no hesitation in calling on the services of Vashile Cantzlaar, Christopher Williams, Jorel Tyrell and Nedd Fraser for support.
There is no doubting the level of football being played by the Tigers, but finishing would have been on the mind of coach Kevin Pearce, since his forwards failed to convert numerous opportunities that were presented to them in their first two matches.
Gavin Wilson got a hat-trick against Georgetown Football Club in his team’s 4-1 first round win, followed by another when they defeated Winners Connection 5-0 to reach the semifinals, and should be looking to find the back of the net once again tonight, to place him in sole custody of the top goalscorer prize.
Amicable support at the top will come from Wendell St Hill, Maxwell Pellew, Devon Moseley and national midfielder Dwayne Ali, who has been in ripping form so far in this tournament, with Derrick Carter being tasked with protecting the uprights from Santos’ forwards.
Denzil Thompson coached Pele Football Club to their first and only Kashif and Shanghai title back in 2008/09 and certainly he will be looking to take Santos to their first major title after they won the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) Banks DIH Premium Beer first division tournament.
Teamwork guarantees success and for this encounter Thompson will be looking to the services of the veteran Gerald Whittington, the man who scored the lone goal for Pele’s K&S win, Joel Lloyd, Kishan Lovell and Quacy John to lead from the front.
Jermaine Fraser, Mark Glasgow and Dexter Arthur would marshal Santos’ defence with O’Neil Heywood being the other man between the back of the net and BK Western Tigers’ strike force tonight.