EAST Demerara Football Association (EDFA) and West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) recorded victories when the Guyana Football Association 2013 season opened on Sunday evening at the GCC ground, Bourda.

The EDFA side edged Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) 5-4 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out after the two teams were locked 0-0 at the end of regulation and extra time, while WDFA `needled’ Georgetown Football Association (GFA) with a first half goal 1-0 off the boot of Devon Millington.
The doubleheader was played in front a fair-size crowd that included Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony, Director of Sport Neil Kumar and Georgetown’s Mayor Hamilton Green.
The three public officials witnessed part of the opening match between EDFA and UDFA before leaving the venue for other commitments.
The opening game started at a slow pace but picked up momentum midway the first half with both teams missing goal-scoring opportunities.
The Upper Demerara side dominated play at midfield but failed to finish on many occasions despite putting together their passes and getting into their opponents’ 18-yard box.
The second period saw both teams looking to open their respective accounts as both teams played at a fast clip but neither of them could penetrate each other’s goal.
In the feature match which was a fast-paced one from the opening whistle, Millington pounced on a loose ball that was played across the GFA goal mouth causing the (GFA) custodian Derrick Carter to make a diving stretch for the ball, which he did not collect cleanly and Millington pounced on it and capitalised on the situation to give his team a 1-0 lead that remained unchanged at the end of regulation time.
Prior to the start of the doubleheader, the GFF’s affiliates participated in the customary march past of teams while there were addresses by Dr Anthony, Mayor Green, Kumar, Banks DIH’s Public Relations executive Troy Peters and GFF president Christopher Matthias.
The GFF used the opportunity to honour FIFA-accredited referee Guyana’s Dianne Ferreira-James for her outstanding contribution to the sport of football.
Meanwhile, according to GFF’s Competition Committee member Lawrence `Sparrow’ Griffith, fixtures for the competition will be drawn in a matter of days.
Among the sponsors on board are: Connections Travel, Colours Boutique, Sleepin Hotel, Digicel, COURTS, Banks DIH, Sculpture Craft, Modern Optical, Knight Rider Bus Service, Pegasus Hotel, Giftland OfficeMax, King’s Plaza Hotel, Water Chris Hotel, Republic Bank, McNeal’s Enterprise and DeSinco Trading.