THE Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) football tournament will feature 20 teams with the organisers being given the green light by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) yesterday.
A release from the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation (K&S) noted that Netrockers of Linden and Ann’s Grove United from the East Coast of Demerara were the two teams added to the famous prestigious football tournament. Initially, after National Champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United had prematurely withdrawn from participating in the event, the organisors had decided on the East Coast team as their replacement.
Speaking with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Club president Trevor Waterman stated that his team is more than delighted to play in the tournament once again, adding that it’s the biggest football tournament in the country and for some of his players it’s like a dream come true.
Ann’s Grove made their K&S tournament debut last year when they lost 2-1 to Riddim Squad at the Enmore Community Centre ground. However, Waterman said that this year they will be looking to correct the mistakes they made.
“We got a good enough team to compete this year; I know the guys are working hard. Last Sunday we had a work-out session together with Santos because we were in training since being a standby team and then when we got the call, it was like ‘YES’, so we are looking forward to playing this year,” said Waterman.
The revised fixtures show Ann’s Grove coming up against five-time champions Bakewell Topp XX of Linden on December 18 at the Uitvlugt Community Centre; a sort of ‘David versus Goliath’ matchup, given the track record of the team from the mining town, while Netrockers will face Bakewell Buxton Stars on December 17 at Enmore.
A gala opening is set for Sunday, December 12, at the Guyana National Stadium to officially declare the 21st Kashif and Shanghai Football open.
Apart from the opening ceremony and march past of the 20 participating teams, Guyana’s senior national team (Golden Jaguars) will do battle with Atletico Roraima FC of Brazil.
The tournament will then swing into gear on December 15 at the GFC ground with defending champions BK International Western Tigers squaring off against Buxton United and Riddim Squad facing Liquid Gold of Bartica.