FOOTBALL-starved Georgetown fans will have much to argue and shout about over the coming weeks when the Annual Mayor’s Cup knockout football tournament kicks off at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground this evening with a double-header starting at 18:00 h. The opening action will bring together Mocha-based Riddim Squad and Den Amstel of the West Demerara in what fans anticipate will be a close contest.
The Riddim Squad unit will be dominated by the Ramsey and Hope brothers who are, incidentally, cousins, with captain Lylton Ramsey marshalling the midfield along with Seon and Stefon Hope while the defence will be led by Sherwin Hope and Amos Ramsey with Sheldon being the attacking weapon.
Den Amstel’s challenge will be spearheaded by the Bobb brothers with Orville in defence and Seon in attack. Both sides are confident of advancing to the quarter-finals which will make the game an exciting affair.
The second game is expected to be full of revenge in the minds of Pele who were booted out of last year’s tournament by the said Seawall team, who won that encounter 2-0.
Pele, who have already captured a title for the year, will be much stronger than last year with former national captain and coach Gordon Brathwaite at the helm.
Brathwaite, who has assumed the Head Coach position at his former club is bent on bringing back Pele to the glory days of the 70s and 80s, which means Seawall United will be in for a game of a different kind to the one they won last year.
Brathwaite was, however, quick to dismiss the thought that revenge is foremost in the minds of his players and declared that all teams automatically lift their game whenever they meet Pele so he is anticipating a good game.
Newly elected captain Travis Grant will pilot the Gold Shirts with support from Konata Manning and the promising teenager Daniel Wilson in midfield, while Solomom Austin and Quincy Adams will control the defence.
New signee Stellon David will team up with Marvin Joseph in attack and the experienced ex-national custodian Shawn Johnson in goal.
The Seawall challenge will be centred on ace goal-getter Clement Browne who is also the captain, together with Cleveland Walcott, midfielders Tonie Lopes and Adrian Giddings and defenders Ike Garraway and Michael Castello.
Among the individual prizes up for grabs will be a Jialing motorcycle, one TV donated by Kei-shar’s and a three-piece suite donated by A.H&L Kissson, while $1.8M cash will be up for grabs by the top four teams with the winner earning $1M and the runners-up $500 000. The third- and fourth-placed teams will pocket $200 000 and $100 000 respectively.
The competition will continue on Sunday at the GFC ground with another double-header featuring GDF and Mondderlust of Berbice from 18:00 h, while Fruta Conquerors will face New Amsterdam United from 20:00 h.