Top of the table matches will commence the 11th round in the GFF Stag Beer Elite League today when leader Slingerz tackle second-place Fruta Conquerors and third-positioned Alpha United oppose fifth place Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Both matches are expected to be keenly contested affairs at the Camp Ayanganna ground, with the feature contest at 20:30hrs taking on special significance as only three points separate the teams.
While the earlier contest ended 2-0 in favour of Slingerz and rightly hands them the favourite tag, this meeting will pit the all-round quality of the West Demerara unit against the free scoring might of the Fruta Conquerors unit.
Holders of a star-studded lineup featuring Vurlon Mills, Julian Wade, Tichard Joseph, Trayon Bobb, Devon Millington and Domini Garnett, the Vergenoegen unit sit joint second on the offensive ladder with 27 conversions. This equates to a formidable rate of 2.7 goals per game.
On the defensive end, the numbers are even more noteworthy as they have only let in six goals at an average of 0.6 goals per match compliments of Quincy Adams, Kester Jacobs, Les Charles Critchlow and Murilo Barbosa.
Meanwhile, the Tucville unit have claimed the top spot to date with 29 strikes at an eye catching 2.9 goals per fixture. An identical output will be expected from the likes of Jahaal Greaves, Hubert Pedro, Eon Alleyne, Jermin Junior, Dennis Edwards, Okeene Fraser and Jamaal Codrinton.
From the defensive perspective, the backline of Trevon Lythcott, Adrian Adonis, Delon Williams, Reshawn Sandiford, Rafael Edwards, Dwayne Lindie, Vagner Santos and goalkeeper Derick Carter sit third on the standings with 13 goals conceded at an average of 1.3 goals per showdown.
Similarly, the opening contest at 18:00hrs between hosts GDF and Alpha the ‘Hammer’ United carries equal importance as both teams try to seal their respective berth in the impending knockout round.
Despite the earlier meeting of the teams ending 1-1, Alpha United will enter the matchup as the favourite.
In attack, the ‘Hammer’ sit a joint second in the chart with a formidable 27 goals recorded at an average of 2.7 per match. The strike force of Delon Lanferman, Anthony Abrams, Dwight Peters, Daniel Wilson and the returning Andrew Murray Jr have been responsible for the impressive numbers.
Defensively, Alpha United also sit second on the chart, with the backline of Colin Nelson, Solomon Austin, Joshua Brown and Sherwin Skeete in conjunction with custodian Alex Murray conceding 10 times.
On the other hand, the GDF offence of Delroy Fraser, Eusi Phillips, Delwyn Fraser, Olvis Mithcell and Jeffrey Perreira have provided 17 goals at a rate of 1.7 conversions per fixture.
While the offensive numbers are decent, it is the defensive numbers that have been the Achilles Heel of the army men. The rearguard of Selwyn Isaacs, Seon Prince and Lenard Simon alongside Jerome Richardson has let in 22 goals which translates to 2.2 goals per game.
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 points 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 face off 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.
