SPARTA Boss talisman Sheldon Shepherd declared that the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Championship, is the ‘World Cup’ of local football, especially for the community teams.

This was revealed via an official press release from tournament coordinator Three Peat Promotions.

Shepherd, who plies his trade for the North East La Penitence-based outfit said, “This is the biggest tournament; this is like the World Cup, and everyone wants to win this tournament.
“Once you have not won this tournament we don’t count you as a team. This is the

tournament that everyone is waiting for. This is our World Cup because everyone focusses on the Guinness. If you have not won a Guinness you can’t brag to anyone. Win a Guinness then we can talk about any other tournament.”

In the 10 years of the event’s existence, Sparta Boss hold the distinction and title of being the most successful team. They possess two Georgetown titles and three National Championships.

Asked about his confidence in securing another title, Shepherd said, “We are going to take it one step at a time; this thing is about steps before we meet the final. Sparta is best in Georgetown, and we are going to use Georgetown to show this.”

He further stated that expectation for the team is always high due to their enviable record. “We know about going to the final and semi-final since we won our first Guinness. We are always in the top because this is normal for us.”

Questioned about the status of the team’s preparation, he said, “We have not been training as much but everybody doing his own personal work and organising himself This is how we do do it and it shows we are the best because the other teams train and we still win. We know what we have to do and how to play.”

The competition is scheduled to be launched today at the Thirst Park venue ahead of its first playing date on July 12 at the National Cultural Centre tarmac. The other playing nights are July 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 and August 3.

Matches will be staged at the National Cultural Centre tarmac, Burnham Court and National Racquet Centre. The first two nights will be elimination matches.
This will be followed by the group stage on the following three nights. The top two finishers from each group will progress to the quarterfinal and subsequent semi-final round on the penultimate day.

The final will subsequently follow. Meanwhile, the Guinness Plate Championship will feature the eight teams who fail to progress from the group stage.

The overall winners will automatically seal their place in the National Championship in August.

To date Beacons (Bartica champions), Melanie-B (East Coast Demerara winners), Brothers United (West Demerara/East Bank Demerara winners), Trafalgar (Berbice champions) and High Rollers (Linden champions) are the teams to have secured automatic berths to the national championship.

Fixtures for the Elimination matches:
Friday (July 12) – National Cultural Centre tarmac
(1) Trap Squad vs LA Ballers
(2) Upsetters vs Albouystown-A
(3) North Ruimveldt vs John Street
(4) California Square vs Alexander Village
(5) North East La Penitence vs Stabroek Ballers
(6) Norton Street vs Back Circle
(7) Sparta Boss vs Judgment Yard
(8) Gold is Money vs Globe Yard

Saturday (July 13) – Burnham Court Tarmac
(1) Rising Stars vs Good-over-Evil
(2) Ol-Skool Ballers vs Sophia
(3) Albouystown-B vs Berlin
(4) Kingston vs Broad Street
(5) Bent Street vs Charlotte Street
(6) Future Stars vs Sophia United
(7) Leopold Street vs Pike Street
(8) Queen St Tiger Bay vs Smyth Street