Friendship Allstar have been crowned champions of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) U-17 Youth Ensemble competition after finishing top of the seven-team table.
The champions amassed 18 points and scored 22 goals during the six-week tournament, which concluded on October 24.
Timehri United finished six points adrift in second place, scoring 17 goals to secure the region’s second qualification spot for the upcoming national play-offs. Both sides will now face the leading clubs from other regional associations for the national title later this year.
Herstelling Raiders claimed third place on 10 points, finishing just ahead of fourth-placed Swan on nine.
Pro Elevate Sports Academy finished with seven points, while Kuru Kururu collected three and Circuitville Jaguars rounded out the standings.
In total, 78 goals were scored across the 21 matches played since the tournament kicked off on 18 September, involving more than 120 youth players.
Friendship Allstar forward Brandon Bruce was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after finding the net eight times, while Timehri United goalkeeper Keron Accra picked up the Golden Glove award for his displays between the posts.
The regional tournament forms part of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) wider Youth Ensemble Programme, an initiative aimed at giving emerging players 42 to 48 competitive fixtures per season to support talent identification and coach development.
GFF president Wayne Forde admitted that delivering the nationwide project comes with logistical hurdles, but praised the regional volunteers and coordinators, including tournament overseer Ms Garraway, for getting the competition over the line.
“The Youth Ensemble Programme is an ambitious undertaking, and we recognise the considerable challenges involved in coordinating and delivering it consistently across the country,” Forde said.
“However, I am genuinely encouraged by the response from our Regional Associations, clubs and the many volunteers who continue to give their time and energy to making this vision a reality.
“This is about much more than organising tournaments; it is about building a structured and sustainable development environment in which young players can improve, talent can be identified, and developing coaches can gain the practical experience needed to strengthen the quality of football across the country.” (Modified Press Release)
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
