Mixed results as ATC matches commence

West Demerara Football Association U17 team defeated the Berbice Football Association 1-0 when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) officially staged their first round of Academy Training Centers (ATCs) matches last weekend at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

WDFA also battled to a 1-1 draw with the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) while BFA and EBFA played to a scoreless draw on Saturday.

On Sunday in the U15 division, BFA defeated WDFA 1-0 and drew 1-1 with the EBFA. Also, the WDFA and the EBFA contested a 4-4 stalemate. In the U13 category, BFA crushed the EBFA 2-0 and the WDFA 3-1.

According to a release from the GFF, Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, WDFA Technical Development Officer Orin Ferrier and GFF Executive Member Keith O’Jeer were present to witness the fixtures.

O’Jeer during a comment said, “The prime objective behind having different ATCs compete against each other is to increase the number of games the members of the academies participated in. There are a maximum of hours in playing time required for academies to develop. The teams have been training for over six months.”

He added, “We are embarking on a plan for the academies to play each other on a regular basis. The federation has implemented matches throughout the various associations at the U15 and 17 levels to increase playing times academies will have. Plans are underway for each association to have a U13 league to also increase academy playing times.”