… 32 teams to battle in inaugural tournament

THIRTY-TWO teams, drawn from as far as Linden, will battle in the inaugural Guinness Cage Football Championship, which will kick off tonight at the National Gymnasium.
The tournament which was officially launched yesterday at the Windjammer International Hotel in Kitty, Georgetown, will see teams battle for the winner’s purse of $400 000 and will be played on August 24, 29, 31, as well as September 2, 5, 7, 9 and the grand finale on September 16.
Second-place team will pocket $200 000, and the third- and fourth-place finishers will collect $100 000 and $50 000 respectively as well as trophies.
On the individual side, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) will receive a gold chain from YK Investments and Pawn Shop and a trophy, compliments of Trophy Stall.
Rawle Welch, one of the organisers of Three Peat Promotions, stated “the tournament was conceptualised months earlier between myself and colleagues and it was readily accepted, following our proposal to Banks DIH Limited. We are very pleased to have such a large company like Banks DIH Limited on board.”
Welch, a veteran award-winning Sports Journalist, further added, “It has been an arduous process to get to where we are, but I expect the tournament to be a success and I can assure the management of the National Sports Commission (NSC) that all conditions will be met.
“I implore all the fans to be on their best behaviour, which is very often, as it is getting more difficult to gain access to the venues and the support of the necessary stakeholders to stage such tournaments. We have to work together to make the event a tremendous success so it can continue next year,” Welch said.
Gervy Harry, Administrative Manager of the National Sports Commission (NSC), asked the organisers, spectators and the competing teams to practise discipline throughout the tournament, as sanctions can be enforced for misconduct.
In the first two playing nights (August 24 and 29), the teams will play in a ‘win or go home’ format, after which, the remaining 16 teams will be divided into groups of four, after which, the top two teams from each group will advance.
The teams will play two segments of ten minutes each, with the ball only being considered dead when it goes over the ‘wall’. Until the quarter-finals, all matches will be decided by kicks from the penalty spot if both sides are even on the score sheets.

Elimination Fixtures
Thursday – August 24
Broad Street vs Old School Ballers – 19:00hrs
Bent Street vs Hustlers – 19:30hrs
Leopold Street vs Plaisance – 20:00hrs
Dave and Celena vs Pike Street Sophia – 20:30hrs
North East vs Mocha – 21:00hrs
Tiger Bay vs Silver Bullets – 21:30hrs
Albouystown-A vs Alexander Village – 22:00hrs
Future Stars vs Agricola Gas Team – 22:30hrs

Tuesday – August 29
Sophia vs MBK All Stars – 19:00hrs
West Back Road vs Albouystown-B – 19:30hrs
Tucville vs Showstoppers – 20:00hrs
North Ruimveldt vs Melanie – 20:30hrs
Champion Boys vs Channel 9 Warriors – 21:00hrs
Gold is Money vs Campbellville – 21:30hrs
Back Circle vs New Market Street – 22:00hrs
Sparta vs Vryheid’s Lust – 22:30hrs