League Genesis champion Slingerz FC opened their campaign on a positive note, downing Pele FC by a 1-0 score line when the League Finale in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League commenced on Friday.
Experienced midfielder and team captain Tichard Richard separated the two sides in the physical affair as he found the back of the net in the 32nd minute from the penalty spot at the Camp Ayanganna ground.
Awarded the spot kick following a clumsy challenge within the centre of the box, Richards made no mistake from the mark as he clinically placed his right foot effort into the lower left hand corner, giving the keeper no chance.
Due to the win, the Vergenoegen giant move onto three points. On the other hand, Pele remain pointless. Meanwhile, Georgetown units Alpha ‘the Hammer’ United and Fruta Conquerors battled to a 1-1 stalemate.
Darren Harris opened the scoring for Alpha United in the 36th minute, finishing into the lower left corner from the centre of the box with the right foot, after a right sided cross fell into his path.
Nevertheless, the Tucville unit earned a hard fought point in the 66th minute as forward Shaquille Agard scored, lobbing the advancing keeper into the right hand corner from the left side of the box, after racing onto a Jahaal Greaves through pass.
Due to the result, both teams start their campaign with one point. Action in the event is slated to continue today at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) in Bourda with another doubleheader.
In the opening fixture at 18:00hrs, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will oppose East Coast of Demerara unit Buxton United while GFC will tackle Monedderlust FC in the feature contest at 20:30hrs.`
Winner of the League Finale 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 will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
The season champion will then be crowned when the winner of the League Genesis and League Finale respectively faceoff in a single matchup. That winner will then earn an automatic berth at the CFU level.
If the winner of the League Genesis and League Finale rounds are the same team, they will earn the automatic CFU spot, with the second berth going to the team with the most accumulated points in both rounds non-inclusive of the eventual season champion.
