By Rawle Toney
AFTER seven rounds of the STAG Elite League, it’s safe to say that Pele Football Club are the ‘ones to beat’. Behind their star forward and prolific scorer Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, the club – one of the oldest in Guyana – must be regarded as the league’s biggest ‘drawing card’.
Tonight, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) base Camp Ayanganna ground will be the battlefield for the Pele versus Alpha United clash which has the potential to be the ‘game-of-league Genesis’.
The two sides will play in the night’s second encounter from 20:30hrs after the Georgetown Football Club (GFC)/Slingerz FC game at 18:00hrs.
It will be the second meeting between Pele and Alpha United in the STAG Elite League, with the first ending in an exciting 2-2 draw at the GFC ground.
Richardson, the league’s leading goalscorer (seven goals), netted twice for Pele FC. One of his goals, a free kick, scored late in the game, was also adjudged the E-Network’s Goal-of-the-Month.
‘Jackie Chan’, as he’s more popularly known, will have the services of National player Kpnata Manning, who will team up with Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant in midfield.
The former Alpha United player and the first Guyanese to play in the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS), Richardson, says that he’s on a mission to not only prove his critics wrong, but also be the most dominant player in the STAG Elite League.
Pundits regard him as the best player of his generation and the 32-year-old has so far lived up to all the hype and while football is a ‘team sport’ he has demonstrated that one man can make a difference.
Meanwhile, head coach Wayne `Wiggy’ Dover has found a gem of his own in striker Delon Lanferman.
The well-built forward is behind Richardson in the goal tally with five goals and based on his current form, Pele’s defence will be in for a long night.
Alpha United have scored 10 goals in total; four less than Pele. Lanferman will have Kithson Bain and captain Daniel Wilson to assist him and, along with Dwayne Lawrence, Pele FC will have their hands full.
Pele picked up their first defeat last Sunday at the hands of the GDF (2-1) while Alpha United were held to a 1-1 draw by Monedderlust at their No.5 ground in West Coast Berbice last Saturday.
One thing for sure, patrons will be in for a treat tonight, served up by two of the top teams in the league and it will be hard to resist not attending the highly anticipated clash.
