Essequibo, Topp XX `bite the dust’ on opening night

ESSEQUIBO and Topp XX football teams `bit the dust’ on the opening night of the 3rd Annual Georgetown Football Association (GFA)/Banks Beer Knockout Football Tournament which got underway on Saturday night at the Georgetown Football Club groundEssequibo was trashed 10-0 by defending champions Sunburst Camptown, while Pele edged Topp XX 1-0 in front of a fair size crowd.
Sunburst Camptown’s onslaught was spearheaded by Devon Forde who bagged a helmet-trick in the 14th, 44th, 50th and 71st minute, while teammate Jahall Greaves registered a treble in the 17th, 54th and 60th minute.
Daniel Favourite chipped in the goal rush with a double in the 45th and 90th minute and Stephen McPherson supported with a single goal in the 88th minute.
In the feature game on the night’s card, Okennie Fraser scored the lone winning goal for Pele in the 45th minute.
Camptown will now await the outcome of the Police versus Winners Connection fixture, which is scheduled for December 13 at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground to know who their next opponents are.
Pele on the other hand will await the outcome of the Alpha United versus Grove Hi-Tech match which is slated for Wednesday at the GFC ground to know which of the two teams they will face next.
The Alpha United versus Grove Hi-Tech match will be the feature game of a double header card that will see Santos taking on Houston Stars in the opening encounter from 18:00hrs.
The final and third place play-off in the competition is scheduled for January 1, 2014 at a venue to be announced.
Over $13M in prize money is up for grabs in the 32-team tournament which started in 2011 with 16 teams.
That year Alpha United walked away with the top prize while last year Sunburst Camptown took championship honours.
The winning team in this year’s competition will receive $4m and the runners up $2.5M.
The third and fourth place teams will draw down $1.5M and $1M respectively.
The eight teams to reach the quarter-final round will each be rewarded with $250,000.
The tournament was declared open on Saturday night by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who met the 32 teams accompanied by Presidential Adviser on Empowerment Odinga Lumumba, who is also the GFA’s General Secretary, Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Banks beer Brand manager Brian Choo-Hen and banks DIH’s Public Relations Manager Troy Peters.

(By Michael DaSilva)