The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Sunburst Camptown are ready to do battle as the curtains come down on the Banks Super 8 Football Competition this evening.
Camptown’s Captain Kishern Lovell told Stabroek Sport yesterday that his team stood a good chance of defeating the army. According to him, the soldiers, over the years, have proven to be very tough opponents, but his team has been training hard and he knows this will see them coming out on top.
GDF’s Manager Captain Tyrone Smith, in an earlier interview with Stabroek Sport, said his players are confident of defeating Sunburst Camptown.
“The players are working hard… we have some weak areas which we are working on, but all together the guys are gelling as a unit,” Smith said. “One of the areas is converting more goals earlier in the game. [This] is one of [the] areas that we need to work on.”
Smith said they will be fully prepared. Despite the lack of tournament during the year, he said, his players are always in training in order to keep fit.
In August, the team was in Lethem where they played against top teams in Lethem, along with a few Brazilian teams.
Those matches, he said, allowed the team to fully test their skills, which came in handy for the Banks President’s Beer and the Super 8 tournament.
The team which comprises serving soldiers, Smith said, has its challenges. Sometimes players have to be let go because of work commitments. But he said it is usually not difficult to find a replacement, since there is a pool from which they can select players. The army, he said, is constantly recruiting and training new players.
GDF and Sunburst Camptown advanced to the final after defeating Fruta Conquerors and Santos respectively last Friday. Santos and Conquerors will battle for third place. The matches will be played at the GFC Ground, Bourda.
