BARTICA’S top football club, River’s View FC, will be looking to make their mark in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/STAG ‘Super 16’ year-end tournament, which begins tomorrow (December 14) at the GFC ground.

This time around, team captain Godfrey ‘Dingar’ Norton thinks his players are prepared enough to go all the way, having participated in last year’s tournament with disappointing results;

In 2017, River’s View FC won their opening game but were defeated in their second match and had to exit the competition as it was a knock-out format.

However, Norton explained that there have been some changes in personnel with at least five new players; “Last year we had a weaker team so we got knocked out in the second round. This time around, we have a major shakeup in the team; the majority of the players who remain from last year are from Goshen (a small Amerindian community opposite Bartica). We have just about five new players”.

He also revealed, “It’s been about six weeks since we’ve been training as a unit. We train every day except Sundays. The guys are looking fit; you can tell that the training is paying off. We had a warm-up just last month (November) in Lethem. We won that game 2-1 and our chemistry was where it is supposed to be.”

River’s View FC boasts two former national players in Andel Norton (attacking midfielder) and Aloysius Edwards (right midfield). The midfield is complemented by two in-form strikers, Shaquille Hopkinson and Omario Lakes.

Norton noted that he, along with that quartet and Anzel Edwards will be expected to play crucial roles for their team to make a mark in the ‘Super 16’.

“We play as a team, we are confident of reaching further than last time, the preparation is just half of the victory.”

The ‘Super 16’ which kicks off tomorrow at GFC, will see $4M in prize money up for grabs, compliments of Ansa McAl. The tournament will be contested by eight of the ten Elite League clubs (Fruta Conquerors, Milerock, GDF, Western Tigers, Victoria Kings, Buxton United, Ann’s Grove and Den Amstel FC), along with River’s View FC, Eagles, Police FC, Buxton Stars, Soesdyke Falcons, Santos, Buxton Stars, a combined Berbice team, as well as a combined team from the Essequibo/Pomeroon Association.

River’s View have been drawn in Group ‘B’ with GDF, Buxton United FC and the combined team from the Essequibo/Pomeroon Association in Group B. Their first game pits them against Buxton United FC. They will need to win if they are to progress in the tournament.

The winners will pocket $1M, second place $1M, third place $500 000 and the fourth-place team will receive a trophy.