WHILE much of the hype in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League surrounds Fruta Conquerors and Western Tigers, quietly though, Den Amstel Football Club has been leaving their mark on the nation’s highest level of play.

After five games, the ‘West Side’ team sit in second place behind the GDF on the Elite League’s 10-team table with 10 points, coming from three wins, a draw and one defeat.
In the latest rankings, champions GDF lead Den Amstel on superior goal-difference with the Army also having 10 points, but scored two fewer goals than coach O’Neil Heywood’s team and conceded the least goals in the league (two). In fact, GDF and Western Tigers are the only teams to taste defeat this season.

The Calvin Allen-coached Western Tigers also have 10 points (three wins and one draw) from their four games played, but are behind the GDF and Den Amstel on goal-difference.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport yesterday, Heywood credited their good showing to the team’s new crop of players acquired during the GFF’s transfer window.
Heywood signed Delon Lanferman, defender Kester Jacobs, goalkeeper Jermaine Cumberbatch, along with Marvin Frank and Chris Macey.

The aforementioned players, Heywood said, made a solid impact on the team, adding “from the practice session, the time they came in, they brought the competitiveness, so I think the new players made the difference on this team and everyone seems to be working together.”

In their five outings, with the exception of their recent scoreless draw against Ann’s Grove United, Den Amstel have scored in every fixture. The club’s 12 goals is the most by any of the 10 teams.

According to Heywood, however, Lanferman is the team’s ‘hitman’, with the coach stating: “That’s the man we look to for goals since he came to the club. He scores, we win. He doesn’t, we don’t win. I think the guys feed off him as well, so he brings much to the team and I am happy to have him.”

Heywood branded Den Amstel with the ‘underdog’ status, telling Chronicle Sport, “We’re not on the radar for many people but we are doing our thing. So we are serious underdogs and I like that.”
The Den Amstel coach, asked about his biggest rivals this season, said, “Of course the GDF; they are the champions and the only team to beat us this season, then Fruta (Conquerors) and Western (Tigers), but we’ve been playing good and the guys are getting better, but, like I said, I think we’re the underdogs.”

Den Amstel’s next encounter will be on Friday, March 9 when they travel to the Tucville Community Centre ground to face favourites Fruta Conquerors in the second game of the planned double-header.

On that evening, Western Tigers will face the whipping boys of this season’s Elite League, Cougars, in the first game from 18:30hrs.
The GFF Elite will continue today at the Buxton Community Centre ground from 14:00hrs, with New Amsterdam United taking on Victoria Kings and Linden’s Milerock facing the host side Buxton United.