In what is nothing short of the biggest upset to date, the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) squeaked past the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 2-1 to clinch their first win in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League on Friday.
Linden Picketts and Kurt Johnson found the back of the net for the Bourda-based unit in the 24th and 45th minutes respectively. On target for the losers at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground was Delroy Fraser in the 11th minute.
Due to the victory, GFC are now on four points and in sixth position while the army outfit remains on four points and in fifth position because of a superior goal difference.
The home side started the brighter of the two teams and duly opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Fraser, racing away from his marker duly finished his effort down the centre of the goal from within the penalty box.
The visitors eventually fashioned their first attempt on goal in the 23rd minute with Johnson sending an early warning shot with a curling right footed 22-yard freekick from the left side, which was tipped over the cross bar by custodian Oswald Cornette.
The resulting corner kick led to GFC snatching the equaliser as Picketts stabbed the ball home into the top right hand corner from within the box, after the right side cross into the area sparked a goal-mouth scramble.
Following their equaliser, the Bourda-unit began to seize control of the match with Romario Welcome almost doubling their lead in the 31st minute, lashing his effort just wide of the lower left hand corner, after the ball fell fortuitously into his path within the centre of the box following a flat right side cross.
While the equaliser could be described as opportunistic, GFC’s go-ahead goal was simply superb as Johnson scored with a clinical header.
Lurking in the box awaiting a cross from a Shad Fernandes 34-yard free kick, the lanky Johnson raced away from his marker before rising to direct his effort unchallenged within the centre of the box into the left hand corner, stunning the army support-staff.
The second stanza saw the visitors adopting a defensive approach as they tried to maintain their advantage. Desperate for the equaliser, the home side began to launch several raids into the GFC defensive third and should have equalized in the 67th minute.
Racing into the centre of the box, Fraser, upon collecting a perfectly placed left side cross from Jeffrey Perreira unchallenged within the centre of the box, directed his header straight at the goalkeeper, much to the disbelief of his team-mates and supporters.
The equaliser continued to evade the army unit with a left side shot from 22 yards out parried onto the left upright by the ‘keeper in the 89th minute as GFC eventually held on to secure the famous win.
In the opening fixture of the night, West Demerara giants Slingerz FC surrendered a goal in the final moments of added time to draw 1-1 with Pele FC.
Winner of the 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.
Action in the tourney will continue today at the GFC ground in Bourda with a doubleheader. In the opening match, Monedderlust FC will lock horns with Buxton United from 18:00hrs while Fruta Conquerors will oppose Alpha United in the feature match at 20:00hrs.
Current Points Standings
Team GP W L D GF GA GD Pts
Pele 4 2 0 2 8 5 +3 8
Fruta Conquerors 3 2 0 1 5 3 +2 7
Slingerz 4 1 0 3 4 1 +3 6
Alpha United 3 1 0 2 4 2 +2 5
Guyana Defence Force 4 1 2 1 6 7 -1 4
GFC 4 1 2 1 3 5 -2 4
Monedderlust 3 1 3 0 4 7 -3 3
Buxton United 3 0 3 0 1 5 -4 0
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