GREMIO and Boys Town will each be hoping third time’s the charm when they clash today at 3pm in the Caribbean Welders Fishing Pond Football league final, with $15,000 on the line.
Gremio, after coming up short in the 2014 and 2015 finals, are appearing in their third final and are desperate to lift the trophy for the first time. Boys Town, a winner in 2013, have not tasted success since then, despite reaching the finals in 2016 and 2017.
Today’s encounter is the second time this season both teams will meet, with Boys Town prevailing 1-0 in their Group B clash previously.
Gremio manager Ashky Charles was in a confident mood this week as he feels Boys Town were lucky to win that meeting.
“I know they going in this fixture, knowing fully well they beat us 1-0. It was a close game, we didn’t take our chances but I have some new tactics up my sleeve to deal with them in the final. On Saturday will reveal all,” he said.
Charles said the final will be even more enthralling given how close the two sides are located.
“It’s close rivals, we live here (Coalmine) and they live probably half-mile from us, so you know it’s plenty picong passing when I pass. The full community coming out to support, as well as (Sangre) Grande on the whole. It’s gonna be an enticing game and we’ll give the crowd what they want and hopefully come out victorious,” he said.
Asked whether their previous final defeats are weighing on their minds, the Gremio manager said: “We’re trying to make up for lost times, we have a few new players with us and a red-hot striker (JC Lewis) in form. He’s pushing to get most goals as well, and capitalise on the chances he didn’t put away against Boys Town.”
Darryl Miranda, manager of Boys Town, said his team holds the psychological edge going into today’s final.
“I’m very confident. I have a good group of players and I good to go. That (experience) will count on the day. I feel they might be a little bit nervous knowing that it’s Boys Town they facing. We’re neighbours so it come like a kind of derby,...You know men go give a little talk,” he said.
Miranda is predicting a tight game similar to their meeting in the group stage with an identical result.
“My team looking good for tomorrow. I feel i can repeat that (group) game. It’s gonna be a close game. I know they will be coming to give us a fight but we go prevail,” he boasted.
League organiser Prakash Ramkissoon is feeling excited not jjst for the final, but because the league is celebrating 30 years in existence.
“We started with a first prize about $300 and we’ve went up to $50,000. With recession and the economy, we’ve gone down a bit to $15,000 , but we’ve been very consistent. This year is a memorable year and we’re here to stay,” he declared.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday