Kashif & Shanghai Tournament returns to Linden roots

…tournament kickoff set for December 13 

By Rawle Toney

(Kaieteur News) – The Kashif & Shanghai Knockout Tournament is set to make a long-awaited return to Linden on December 13, rekindling one of Guyana’s most celebrated football traditions and bringing the competition back to the town that served as its home for many years.

The tournament, which has been a major fixture on Guyana’s sporting calendar since its inception on Boxing Day in 1990, will be staged exclusively in Linden, with matches scheduled for the Bayroc National Stadium and the recently reconstructed Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.

Kashif Muhammad, co-director of the tournament alongside Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major, confirmed the return during a visit to both venues as preparations intensify for the revival of the popular knockout competition.

Kashif Muhammad and team at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.

The Mackenzie Sports Club Ground holds particular significance to the tournament’s history, having hosted the finals before the competition moved away from Linden to the Guyana National Stadium.

The last final staged in the Mining Town was played in 2008, when Alpha United defeated Topp XX to capture the title.

Muhammad said this year’s tournament will feature only First Division clubs from across the country, with Elite League teams excluded from the competition.

As a result, former champions Slingerz FC, Camptown and Fruta Conquerors will not participate, as the organisers have opted to maintain the tournament as a First Division competition.

More details surrounding the participating clubs, sponsorship arrangements, prize structure and other aspects of the tournament are expected to be unveiled at the official launch, scheduled for Saturday, October 3, in Linden.

The return represents a significant moment for both Linden and the Kashif & Shanghai brand, which has built a rich history of producing competitive encounters and memorable finals.

Linden’s Topp XX remains the tournament’s most successful club, having captured the coveted title five times. The club’s first triumph came in the 1994/95 season, when it defeated fellow Linden side Milerock 2-1.

Topp XX returned to the winner’s circle in 1996/97 with a 3-0 victory over Pele, before claiming consecutive titles in 1999/00 and 2000/01.

Their fourth championship came after a 3-1 win over Conquerors, while the following year they overcame Camptown on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The Linden powerhouse captured its fifth and most recent title in 2005/06, defeating Alpha United 1-0.

Milerock, another of Linden’s historic football clubs, won the tournament three times, while Alpha United captured two championships.

The competition’s roll of honour also includes Eagles United, Botafogo, Camptown, Beacon’s, Pele, Victoria Kings, Conquerors, Western Tigers, Buxton United and Slingerz FC, as well as Trinidad and Tobago clubs Doc’s Khelwalaas, Joe Public and Caledonia AIA.

The tournament has also produced its share of dramatic finals, including the 1992/93 championship, when Botafogo and Central Hikers shared the trophy after their final ended in a draw.

The most recent edition on record was held in 2015, when Slingerz FC defeated Alpha United 2-0.

Now, after years away from its traditional home, the Kashif & Shanghai tournament is returning to Linden, with the organisers banking on the town’s football heritage, renovated facilities and passionate supporters to provide the backdrop for a new chapter in the competition’s history.

Source: Kaieteur News