Golden Jaguars bubbling with confidence … Suriname equally poised

From Ras Wadada in Paramaribo with the compliments of German’s Restaurant and Lens Craft Optical

ANOTHER chapter in the history of the oldest Caribbean football rivalry will be written in Paramaribo this afternoon as 3rd round action of Group One in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU)/Scotiabank Senior Men’s Cup gets underway.The visiting Golden Jaguars, under the guidance of long-standing head coach Jamal Shabazz, arrived in the former Dutch colony on Thursday and yesterday afternoon held their only training session at the venue for today’s crucial encounter, the Andre Kampaerveen Stadium.
The 20-man squad consists of 12 foreign-based players including first-timers, Kai Lyle of the UK and Warren Creavalle, Cash London and Andrew Nestor from the USA. The Jaguars also welcome the return of Puerto Rico-based captain Christopher Nurse and Anani Mohammed who now plays in Mexico.
The giant-sized 18-year-old Kai Lyle is expected to start in goal and his performance between the uprights will be pivotal in the Golden Jaguars coming away with their 3rd consecutive win in competition against their rivals in their backyard. Ironically the last two wins for Guyana in Suriname came in the month of October.
The Guyanese dismissed the Dutchmen 2-0 on October 17, 2010 in Digicel Cup action and the year before on the 28th the Jaguars won the Independence Cup by 1-nil. In over 100 years of rivalry the teams have met 67 times with Suriname winning more than half of those contests, while Guyana won the most recent meeting by a 2-0 margin in a friendly, played earlier in February of this year at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
The young talented Suriname squad are hoping that their home crowd support can motivate them in overcoming the visitors who are a blend of youth and experience that includes the evergreen Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams at 37 years old.
Abrams who distinguished himself in the Suriname League some years ago when he played for Leo Victor was a known tormentor of many a defence and could very well prove to be today’s trump card for the Jamal Shabazz-coached side.
Shabazz is cognizant of the rivalry between the neighbours and the usually sound technical skills of the Dutch on ball possession but thinks his charges are ready to go out and get the job done, so as to come away with maximum points and take charge of Group One.
The Trinbagonian is unperturbed at this stage as to the inadequate preparations leading up to these 3rd round games that his unit had and is very optimistic about winning the opening game of Group One.
Today’s game will kick off at 16:30hrs.

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