THE Stag Elite League opens tonight at the Leonora Track & Field and Football Facility with eight of Guyana’s top clubs (Georgetown Football Club, Guyana Defence Force, Pele, Monedderlust, Fruta Conquerors, Buxton United, Alpha United and Slingerz FC) beginning the race to football’s ‘holy grail’. Two of Guyana’s oldest clubs – Georgetown Football Club and Pele FC – will face off in the league’s first game from 18:00hrs, after which the gala opening ceremony will take place where several

dignitaries, including ministers of the government, sponsors and other officials, will be present and the league will be declared officially open..
When the dust settles from the opening ceremony, tournament favourites Alpha United and Slingerz FC will reignite a rivalry unlike any other in local football over the last two years.
The two juggernauts of the country’s beloved sport have spent millions on strengthening their roster for the league in order to cash-in on the $15M cash prize.
Slingerz FC, owned by ‘West Side’ businessman Javed Ali, recently signed National U-23 forward Domini Garnett from Caledonia AIA along with St Vincent and the Grenadines National goalkeeper Winslow McDowall.
The 28-year-old McDowall and his ‘Vincy Heat’ teammates; defenders Jolanshoy McDowall and Keith James arrived in Guyana after helping their country to the next round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers where they (St Vincent) will now clash with the USA.
The last time the two sides met was in the final of the Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament at the Guyana National Stadium in April, where Slingerz FC walked away with the $4M first-place prize following a 2-0 victory.
In fact, only Alpha United and the GDF can boast of defeating the Vergenoegen-based team. The only trophy missing from their fast crowding showcase is the NAMILCO Championship.
The hunt for their first national title sees them chasing the team who are considered the most successful in the sport of football.
Alpha United are a five-time national champions, winning their titles consecutively from 2009 to 2014, a third place CFU Club Championship finish (2011) and are the only team from Guyana to play at the CONCACAF Champions League.
Philbert Moffat who played with Slingerz FC last season and helped them to win the Kashif and Shanghai Tournament this year, has returned to Alpha United, from where he was transferred.
Grenada’s top striker Kithson Bain will suit up for Alpha United once again tonight along with Jamaicans Wayne Ellis and Kirk Duckworth.
With Slingerz FC playing without Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams, Devon Millington and Clive Nobrega, it will be interesting to see how they will adjust to withstand the firepower of Alpha United.
In the opening game, Pele FC will be without Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson who is still overseas but the return of Travis Grant to the club will certainly boost their chances of coming out on top against the young GFC line-up.