TWO exciting matches are set for tonight, as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Corona Beer ‘Super 16’ Year-End Classic continues at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground, Camp Ayanganna, at 16:00hrs and 20:30hrs respectively.

The matches, which feature Western Tigers FC versus Grove Hi-Tech FC in the first match, and Fruta Conquerors FC against Ann’s Grove FC as the feature encounter, promise to be quite a treat with fighting words being exchanged by the coaches of the respective clubs.
In an invited comment, head of Western Tigers FC, Calvin Allen, said he’s looking forward to an exciting and competitive game.

According to Allen, Western Tigers FC, one of the GFF’s Elite League teams, will not be taking their opposition lightly, adding that Grove Hi-Tech are a team “with good calibre players and they’re coached by two capable guys also.:
“I also know they are a team with good, young talent and a mixture of experience so it’s not a team that you can take for granted. In fact, I’ve always said you have to give a team the respect that is due.”

The coach, who once worked with Grove Hi Tech FC, said while he will not publicly share his tactical approach to the game, there is a definite plan but “the public should come to the ground and see the plan we have mapped out for Grove, because it’s a team that we have organised and planned for.”
Meanwhile, head coach of Grove Hi-Tech FC, Levi Braithwaite, said the fans can expect an exciting match … as they are “not just in the tournament to participate but we are in it to win it”.

“Since we have uplifted the fixtures, we have been working hard. Basically, we have been focusing on fitness as we know that Western Tigers are an elite club and are really fit so we need to get up to standard with our fitness. For the past week we have been going hard with our fitness and the guys are eager and ready to go,” Braithwaite said.

Meanwhile, Fruta Conquerors head coach, Sampson Gilbert, said his team is looking forward to the club playing the best football against Ann’s Grove. He pointed out that his club is looking forward “to play with a level of intensity that would indicate our intention of overwhelming the opposition and imposing ourselves.”

“We view this knockout tournament as an extension of the Elite league where we’ve added these projected four games as part of the league and we’re looking forward to a must-win 12 points. We’re definitely looking forward to win this tournament and, in so doing, play some of the best football at this time in our team’s continued development,” Sampson noted.

Lloydwin Semple, head coach for Ann’s Grove United FC, said the public can expect a competitive game tonight from his team.

Semple said his team have learned some crucial lessons from their first encounter with Fruta Conquerors, stating “we played Conquerors before,, a few weeks ago, in our second game of the Elite league. There were basic mistakes made by players, which cost us the game.

“However, we have corrected those areas in our training sessions. We’ll come out with our game plan and will try to get the best of Conquerors. At the end of it we’ll see who will come out victorious.”