Pandemonium broke out at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre (NTC) in the late hours of Saturday night as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Football Club broke a year’s-long jinx to lift the inaugural Elite League Cup.
The monumental battle with the highly-rated Slingerz Football Club had promised to be a mouth- watering one and that it was, as some of the nation’s best ballers drew their battle lines.
Reigning Elite League champions Slingerz probably went into the contest as favourites against Police, who could only manage to hold to the second position in the 2025 season. However, hanging dangerously over Slingerz’ head was their inability to get across the line against Western Tigers in the year-end Super 16 Cup, an early indication of their recent lack of proficiency in knockout competitions.
The skills were on display on both sides of the pitch in the first half of the contest, so much so that the first 45 minutes ended goalless.
However, Police had different plans for the second segment and inflicted their first blow in the 63rd minute. Nicholas McArthur made the advance down the right wing, crossing the ball into the box from the edge of the penalty area. At the goal mouth, Beveney McGarrell waited, unmarked, before executing the right-footed shot into the right corner of the goal, narrowly escaping the grasp of Slingerz keeper Sese Norville to put Police ahead.
As expected, the Slingerz camp woke up almost instantaneously, but eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) McGarrell’s ability to shut down Kelsey Benjamin on the wind on multiple occasions proved vital in breaking down Slingerz’s attack in the final third.
Slingerz’s nightmare soon saw the introduction of a new boogie man when Police extended their lead in the 76th minute. Again, it was McArthur making the run down the wing for Police, executing another brilliant pass into the box. This time though, McArthur’s pass did not find its intended target in Makayah Jervis but did one better, deflecting off a sliding Romaine Brackenridge to register a Slingerz own goal.
In the dying minutes of the game, hope visited the boys in orange as their Captain Quincy Adams capitalised on a set piece from the corner, heading it into the back of the net to pull one back in the 90th minute. But it was a little too late for the league champions, as a lengthy bout of additional time would expire with the scores remaining 2-1 in favour of Police.
Police Head Coach Wayne Dover was a relieved man after the final, admitting that they have finally broken a jinx.
Dover told Guyana Times Sport, “Oh definitely, a monkey is definitely off our back and when we won the game the other night against the army, that was a jinx broken. This also is another jinx broken because those are the two teams that has denied us for the longest while. We know once we could break this jinx and win games against these teams, we could be the champions of any tournament we embark on.”
The Police gaffer went on to discuss his team’s performance in the championship game, “The plan was for us to implement the things that we work on in training, so, we had a structure and we see players come out and maintain that structure and execute all the work that we did in training which helped us to cross the line tonight.”
Earlier, Western Tigers stunned the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to capture the third-place trophy. Chris Macey had handed the lead to GDF in the 38th minute, but Western would have other plans in the second half. In the 78th minute, Rondell Peters capitalised on a badly-gathered ball by GDF’s keeper, slotting the ball home to equalise. William Europe then put the West Ruimveldt outfit ahead in the 84th minute, converting a set piece by sending a rocket into the roof of the net for Western’s game-winner.
While McGarrell was named the tournament’s MVP, his teammate Akel Clarke was adjudicated to be the best goalkeeper in the competition. Meanwhile, Slingerz FC’s Kemar Beckford was hailed as the highest goalscorer.
Police FC carted off a $1 million grand prize for their stellar efforts while Slingerz FC settled for a $700,000 second prize. Western Tigers and GDF will be rewarded with $500,000 and $300,000 respectively.
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