GFF looking to play more international friendlies — Urling

In an effort to prepare Guyana for their impending 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee Chairman Clinton Urling said the entity is in discussions with other FIFA affiliates to participate in international fixtures.

In an invited comment with Stabroek Sports, Urling said “The Federation is currently engaging other FIFA Member Associations to play one or two international friendly games between now and June. Once confirmed, details will be made available”.

According to further sources within the federation, the national setup is expected to feature in their second international friendly in the month of March.

Clinton Urling
Clinton Urling

The Golden Jaguars is programmed to open their campaign on the 8th of June 2015 with the away leg against 121st ranked St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They will then contest the home leg 10 days later on the 16th of June 2015.

The senior setup’s previous international engagement was against Caribbean Football Union (CFU) rival Barbados on February 1st 2015 in the Land of the Flying Fish. The GFF is slated to announce the date for the return leg of the international series.

The Golden Jaguars ended a two game losing streak during the fixture, carving out a 2-2 draw despite initially leading two goals to nil. Prior to the Barbadian fixture, Guyana had incurred a series of unfortunate results, losing four out of five matches over a time period of 25 months.

Defeats to the likes of Grenada and Haiti in the year of 2013 alongside Caribbean Cup losses to St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis in 2014 highlighted the Golden Jaguars recent track record. The only noteworthy result during that competitive window was a 0-0 stalemate with Dominica. The Golden Jaguars last recorded victory came against French Guiana in Grenada on November 18th 2012 in the Caribbean Cup tourney. Guyana overcame their French counterparts by a 4-3 score line in the fixture.