Who will wear the crown?

– Camptown and Western Tigers contest NAMILCO football final tonight

The final showdown of the Fruta Conquerors organized NAMILCO Football Festival has been decided and Sunburst Camptown and BK International Western Tigers will go head to head for top honours tonight after defeating their opponents in the semi-finals on Wednesday night at the Tucville playfield.

A new champion will be crowned at the end of the battle that is scheduled to commence at 8pm at the same venue following the third place showdown at 6pm between the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and New Amsterdam United.

Two players engage battled during the semi-final between Western Tigers (right) and New Amsterdam United on Wednesday at the Tucville Playfield. (Orlando Charles Photo)
Two players engage battled during the semi-final between Western Tigers (right) and New Amsterdam United on Wednesday at the Tucville Playfield. (Orlando Charles Photo)

On Wednesday, Camptown trounced the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 3 – 1 in the opening match of the night, then Western Tigers devoured New Amsterdam United 6 – 0 in the feature showdown.

Tigers’ performance was built on doubles from Dwayne Ali and Colin Neilson while aggressive runs from numerous other players and terrific defending reaped the final result. The Georgetown team was able to score thrice in both halves while  helping their goal keeper to end the encounter with a clean sheet.

Maxwell Pellew drew first blood for Tigers in the 13th minute then Devon Millington doubled the lead two minutes later to put the opposition under immense pressure in the opening minutes. Ali recorded his first goal in the 39th minute and tripled his team’s lead although New Amsterdam were still in search of their first goal. At the resumption of the second 45 minutes Neilson got a few quick opportunities to score and capitalized on them as he found the back of the net in the 69th and 72nd minutes while Ali delivered the final blow in the 78th minute. Camptown were led to victory by a first half Telston McKinnon double and he received help from fellow striker and former national player Nigel Codrington.

McKinnon was quite clinical in his finishing on the night of reckoning and had GDF on the back foot when he scored in the 13th minute. He doubled, and pushed his team back up by two goals when he scored again in the 39th minute. Glenervon Edmond pulled one back for GDF nine minutes into the second half (54’) and gave GDF some hope of trying to equalize but Codrington’s goal in the 69th minute crushed those hopes and made it a comfortable win for Camptown in the end.