Alpha United missed a golden opportunity to go atop the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League standings, drawing with seventh positioned Georgetown Football Club (GFC) 1-1 on Sunday at the GFC ground in Bourda.
Entering the match two points behind the leaders with 22 points, the ‘Hammers’ were held by the home side in the cagey affair, with Daniel Wilson initially giving them the lead in the 24th minute, only for the home side to equalise in the 50th minute through Kurt Johnson.
Due to the draw, Alpha United move onto 23 points and remain in the third position. On the other hand, GFC climb to nine points and remain in the seventh position.
The fixture started brightly for the visitors who should have taken the lead in the fifth minute as Delon Lanferman upon racing into the left side of the box following a lobbed through pass, was denied by the onrushing goalkeeper following a one-on-one situation.
William Europe was next to be denied by the ‘keeper in the 12th minute as he fired his effort into the grasp of the latter, after collecting a right sided cross from Lanferman within the left side of the box.
The GFC back was line was eventually breached 12 minutes onward as Wilson volleyed his first time right footed attempt into the top right hand corner, after latching onto a left-side pass.
Their lead was almost increased in the 43rd minute as a left-side free kick from the returning Dwight Peters was punched to safety by the goalkeeper.
Having relatively nothing to cheer about since the fixture’s inception, the home crowd was then given a reason to celebrate as Johnson scored with a thunderous header into the right hand corner, after collecting a perfectly placed cross from a Curtis Kellman free kick 29 yards from the goal in the centre of the field.
Stunned by their sudden concession, Alpha United almost snatched the go-ahead winner five minutes before the end of normal time as a 22 yard curling Wilson free kick from outside the centre of the box, flew marginally wide of the right hand corner.
The home side eventually held on to claim the vital points. In the opening contest, Buxton United defeated Monedderlust FC by a 1-0 margin. Delon Wright found the back of the net for the East Coast of Demerara unit in the fifth minute.
With the win, Buxton United climb to 12 points and remain in the sixth position while Monedderlust FC remain in the cellar position on seven points.
Winner of the round will pocket $4,000,000 while the second, third and fourth place teams will collect $2,000,000, $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively. Similarly, the point’s leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
Action in the tourney will continue on Friday at the Camp Ayanganna ground with another doubleheader. In the opening fixture at 18:00hrs, Pele will oppose Monedderlust while at 20:30hrs, hosts GDF will tackle GFC.
Current Points Standings
Team GP W L D GF GA GD Pts
Slingerz 12 8 1 3 25 6 +19 24
Pele 12 7 2 3 25 11 +14 24
Alpha United 12 6 1 5 17 8 +9 23
Fruta Conquerors 12 5 4 3 15 14 +1 18
Guyana Defence Force 12 4 6 2 19 21 -2 14
Buxton United 12 4 8 0 7 19 -12 12
GFC 12 2 7 3 11 27 -16 9
Monedderlust 12 2 9 1 8 20 -12 7
