The biggest and most competitive football tourney on local shores has returned as the 6th edition of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown tourney was officially launched yesterday at the Banks DIH Limited Boardroom.
Tourney coordinator and Petra Organization Co-Director Troy Mendonca during brief remarks said that the entity is once again pleased to be associated with the event, declaring he is looking forward to the same competitiveness and enthusiasm from the teams.
He further thanked Banks DIH Limited for their continued support towards the event, noting once again that it is pleased to be a part of the staging of the tourney.
Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste during brief remarks said that the company is overwhelmed with the support received from the respective communities, declaring that this edition is slated to be bigger and better than the previous years due to the increase in aspirants from 53-62.
According to Baptiste, the company is set to improve the overall quality of the tourney and that the West Demerara edition will not be merged with the slated East Bank of Demerara event to increase the tourney’s overall scope.
He noted that Colours Boutique has come on board with the event and will outfit the teams with trunks and socks, declaring that the Georgetown leg as well as the other editions will be a grand spectacle while preaching for teams to exercise discipline through the championship.
Asked if GFF Elite League players will be barred from participating in the event, Mendonca said the tourney will not stop them from playing.
The event which is scheduled to commence today at the National Cultural Centre tarmac, will be contested in an initial round-robin format featuring 32 teams. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the knockout stage.
Presently, 24 teams have secured their berth automatically to the group stage, with the remaining eighth entrants slated to be decided following a playoff tourney. The eight playoff teams will be shared among the groups.
To date, Group-A consists of South Sophia, Laing Avenue and West Back Road while group-B features Festival City Warriors, Albouystown-B, and Holmes Street-Tigerbay. Group-C comprises Globe Yard, California Square and Cross Street while group-D features West Front Road, Alexander Village and East Front Road.
Dubbed the group of death, Group-E consists of Sparta Boss, Back Circle and Broad Street whilst group-F has South Ruimveldt, Bent Street and Festival City Street Fighters. Similarly, coined another group of death, Group-G will comprise Queen Street Tigerbay, Albouystown-A, and North East La Penitence while defending champ North Ruimveldt, Leopold Street and Island All-Stars will feature in Group-H.
Winner of the event will pocket $500,000, the championship trophy and the right to represent the zone at the national tourney while the second, third and fourth placed units will collect $200,000. $150,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade.
In the event’s opener today at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac, holder North Ruimveldt will oppose Island All-Stars from 19:00hrs while South Ruimveldt will lock horns with Festival City Street Fighters at 19:30hrs.
At 20:00hrs, Queen Street Tigerbay will oppose North East La Penitence while the fourth fixture at 20:30hrs will pit Cross Street against Globe Yard.
The fifth matchup will then witness South Sophia facing off with West Back Road at 21:00hrs while Albouystown-B will tackle Holmes Street Tigerbay from 21:30hrs in the sixth matchup.
In the final two fixtures, Alexander Village will oppose East Front Road from 22:00hrs while Sparta Boss will tackle Broad Street Bullies from 22:30hrs.
