Banks Beer/GFA Cup …Kwakwani Strikers, Eagles United vying for spot in knock-out round

Kwakwani Strikers and Eagles United will clash tomorrow at the GFC Ground for one of the top two spots in the knock-out round of the Banks Beer/GFA Cup football tournament.

The two teams advanced to the second stage in the preliminary rounds after defeating Banks All Stars and Victoria Kings of East Coast on Sunday.  In the first match Kwakwani Strikers (Rusal) defeated Banks All Stars by a 1-0 margin. Ronald Christopher scored the lone goal in the match in the 69th minute. Despite several near misses and mistakes, both teams kept the score at nil-all in the first half of the match, but things changed in the second half in favour of Kwakwani who defended their goal stoutly.

In the second match of the evening it was youth versus experience, when underdogs Eagles United clashed with Victoria Kings. However, the young men of Region 10 proved too much for the East Coast champion team and the game ended 2-1 in favour of Eagles United.

Kwakwani Strikers and Banks All Stars battle it out

From the time the referee’s whistle sounded, the youthful Eagles showed that they were a force to be reckoned with. They exercised good ball control and executed some good passes putting the Victoria Kings into the shade. Meanwhile, Victoria Kings lacked the crisp ball control of their younger opponents but they did capitalise on a good opportunity catching the Eagles’ goalkeeper off-guard and scoring the first goal of the match which came off the boot of Aubrey Gibson in the 55th minute.

Eagles United kept a steady attack on the Victoria Kings’ goal and found an equalizer in the 69th minute off the boot of Randy Small. Small scored after one of his team-mates missed on the first opportunity when the ball – the result of a goal kick – came flying over the wall set up by Victoria Kings. Eleven minutes later, Allister Johnson scored the second goal, putting victory out of reach for the Kings who were unable to find an equalizer, despite their best efforts.

The third match in the preliminary round between the Ann’s Grove All Stars of East Coast Demerara and Botofago of Linden will be played tomorrow.

Kwakwani Strikers and Banks All Stars battle it out

Eight teams are contesting the preliminary rounds, but only two will advance to the knockout round, which comprises 16 teams. Already, 14 teams are in the knockout round: Sunburst Camptown, Houston Stars, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Northern Rangers, Santos, University of Guyana, Riddim Squad, Beacon, Fruta Conquerors, Flamingo, Black Pearl, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force and Net Rockers.  The round of 16 kicks off on Sunday at the GCC Ground, Bourda, right after the opening ceremony.