The clash of the giants failed to live up to its billing as Alpha United and Slingerz FC scrapped to a nil-all stalemate on the opening night of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League on Friday.
With Pele defeating the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) 2-1 in the event opener, the showpiece of the night, which followed the pageantry of the march past, was a cagey affair witnessed by a very large gathering at the Leonora Sports Facility. Both sides walked away with a point.
Despite the West Demerara side monopolizing possession in the early moments, it was the Georgetown unit that fashioned the first threatening strike in the 17th minute as Kithson Bain rifled a powerful 26-yard effort wide of the lower left corner from the centre of the field.
The visitors then wasted a perfect chance to snatch the lead one minute later through Steffon Ramsay.
Evading the challenges of two defenders while racing down the centre of the field after intercepting a pass, Ramsay, upon entering the right side of the box with only the goalkeeper in his path, blasted his effort straight to the Slingerz FC custodian.
The hosts eventually came alive in the 37th minute as Domini Garnett, upon latching onto a right-side cross in the centre of the box, was denied by advancing custodian Dorville Stewart low to his left.
Dexroy Adams then wasted a great chance to give Slingerz FC the lead two minutes onward, heading wide of the goal from the left side of the box, after Stewart tamely punched a right sided cross into his path.
The second period proved to be more of the same with Slingerz FC creating the first opportunity in the 68th minute as Garnett was once again denied by Stewart low to his right with a first time effort, after the former raced onto a flat right-side cross from Joshua Browne.
Similarly, the Georgetown unit almost snatched the win in the 90th+3 minute of the contest but Bain was denied by the opposing shot-stopper low to his left, after a pouncing on a loose ball within the right side of the box following a poorly dealt with throw-in.
The inaugural event, will see eight teams from several associations across the country battling in a double round league for close to eight months.
Upon the conclusion of the League Genesis round, the top four finishers in terms of points will face off against each other in single knockout format to decide the winner of the round.
The point’s leader will faceoff with the fourth placed side while the second positioned club will tackle the third positioned unit.
Winner of the League Genesis 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 point’s leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
The second round which is called the League Finale, will utilize the same method. The eventual season champion will then be crowned when the winner of the League Genesis and League Finale respectively faceoff in a single matchup, with the winner clinching an automatic CFU berth.
If the winner of both rounds is the same team, it will claim an automatic berth to the CFU level. The second berth to the Caribbean level tourney will then be awarded to the team with most accumulated points over the two rounds.
Action in the event is slated to continue on Wednesday with four matchups. Over at the GFC ground in Bourda, Slingerz FC will battle the home side at 18:00hrs while Alpha United will lock horns with Pele in the feature contest at 20:00hrs.
At the Tucville Community ground, Buxton United will oppose the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) from 18:00hrs while hosts Fruta Conquerors will face off with Monedderlust FC from 20:00hrs in the main attraction.
