Players and coaching staff of the Pele Gold FC pose with their cheque for $1 million after defeating Western Tigers 3-2 GT&T executives and tournament organisers
Pele Gold Football Club and the Trophy Stall All Star ladies team were crowned champions of the first ever Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Fastball competition on August 7 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Pele crushed BK International Western Tigers 3-0 in the men’s final, while Trophy Stall All Star women edged the Lethem Ladies 3-2. Pele’s aggression and good ball possession paid off in the dying minutes of the first 15-minute half in this format of the game. For winning the male category, Pele pocketed Gy$1 million, while the Trophy Stall All Star ladies took home the attractive first place purse of Gy$500,000 in the women’s category.
The tournament was endorsed by Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) President Colin Klass, and the honourable Prime Minister Samuel Hinds. Prior to the commencement of the finals Klass said that he noticed that this shortened and more entertaining format of the game helped improve both the offensive and defensive strategies.
Anthony commended the telecommunication company on organising the nationwide football tournament, which including more than 200 teams.
Anthony said that he felt it was the largest football tournament that Guyana has ever seen, and was convinced that it did not only develop the sport at the community level, but on a national level.
Chief Executive Officer of GT&T Yog Mahadeo promised the administrators and the football community that the tournament will be even bigger next year with more attractive cash incentives.
Former national player Marvin Joseph utilised one of the special features of the competition to give his team the advantage at halftime.
Joseph managed to score with the ‘Blue Ball’, which in Fastball, is worth two goals instead of one. Joseph managed to infiltrate the Western Tigers last line of defence, with some fancy footwork to get him into the box before he fired one to the back of the net.
After trailing 0-2 at half-time, Western Tigers attempted to produce something special of their own on the offensive end, but it was their fragile defence that failed them. Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) striker Stellon David put his team further ahead by finishing a missed shot two minutes into the second half.
On their journey to the throne, new Fastball Kings Pele had knocked out Topp XX in the semi-final, while runners-up Western Tigers had eliminated the other Linden team, Adams’ Rockers. Pele’s keeper Shawn Johnson was adjudged Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament for his crucial saves down the stretch.
