Alpha United opens account on winning note in CFU Club C/Ships

Guyana’s Alpha `The Hammer’ United opened their account in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Club Championships on a winning note with a 2-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, yesterday, at the Harbor View Stadium, Jamaica.According to Alpha United’s vice-president and Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steve Ninvalle, Andrew Murray and guest player Kiston Baines of Grenada scored for the Guyanese team in the 19th and 48th minute, respectively.
Ninvalle, who spoke to Chronicle Sport via telephone, yesterday, informed that the margin of victory for Alpha United could have been larger had Gregory `Jackie Chan’ Richardson converted two sure sitters, one in the first half of the game and the other in the second period.
Ninvalle said he spoke to the team’s coach Wayne `Wiggy’ Dover who bemoaned the fact that the Guyanese could have won by a larger margin.
According to Ninvalle, a former Sports Journalist, Dover said he must take his hat off to the team’s custodian Ronson Williams for performing his duties with distinction between the uprights.
Ninvalle said Dover praised the Trinidad and Tobago soldiers for an outstanding play despite losing to the Guyanese.
He reminded that about two years ago, Alpha United defeated the same side in a penalty shoot-out at the Providence National Stadium here in Guyana to qualify for the CFU Club Championship.
According to Ninvalle, Alpha United will take on Harbor View of Jamaica today in a next match of their group.
He said a third team, Sporting Notch of Suriname was to have been in their group, but they failed to make a showing in Jamaica.
Asked about the teams in the other group, Ninvalle could not say who those teams are but promised to make the information available by today.
Ninvalle said Alpha United stands a very good chance of winning the club championship, and said he has to raise his hat to the club’s president Odinga Lumumba, who he said made sure that all was in place for Alpha United’s participation in the tournament “There is no reason why we should not come out on top,” Ninvalle declared.