The Free Kick Foundation/SLFA Inc. U-19 District Invitational fits nicely into an action-packed sportive holiday weekend for participating athletes in different genres of the game across the region.
Today (Saturday) and Sunday, 12 district teams are down to compete for an opportunity to represent Saint Lucia in the upcoming July football fiesta- Free Kick Youth Cup-that will witness one of the biggest youth football showing in the region involving teams from across the globe.
The youth soccer event scheduled for the Daren Sammy Cricket Grounds [DSCG] from April 16 to 17, is expected to be an exciting and entertaining ‘All Local Affair’.
And the organisers are appealing to sports fans and the public generally to turn out and support the youngsters, as according to an SLFA official: “Your support and participation … at these matches would send a positive message of encouragement to the hundreds of youngsters competing”.
In addition, Platinum Sponsor – Cabot St Lucia through the company’s Cabot Cares philanthropic programme is on board to help promote what the organisers anticipate to be “an amazing competition.”
Matches are due to begin at 9.00 a.m. each day, and players and officials have been briefed about the rules and regulations of the competition; which also include participating teams having to reach the DSCG by 7.30 a.m. on match days.
The matches will be of 50 minutes duration, with a five-minute break at halftime, and no injury time added.
Furthermore, competition rules state that the 1st place team from each of the three groups will qualify for the semi-finals with the best second-place team overall.
In the event that there are drawn games, Goal Difference will be used to determine the winner. If the Goal Difference is the same, Goals for (GF), will be the next criteria used, and if there is still a tie, a Coin Toss will determine the winner.
Meanwhile, following the Draw held at the SLFA Inc. base the Groupings are as follows –
Group A – Vieux Fort South, Anse La Raye, Mabouya Valley and Babonneau;
Group B – Gros Islet, Soufriere, Marchand and Desruisseaux;
Group C – Canaries, Dennery, Roseau and Central Castries.
The opening round of matches for the morning session is as follows:
VF South vs Anse La Raye – 9.00 am
Mabouya vs. Babonneau – 9.00 am
Gros Islet vs. Soufriere – 10.00 am
Marchand vs. Desruisseaux – 10 am
Canaries vs. Dennery – 11.00 am
Roseau vs. Cen Castries – 11.00 am
VF South vs. Mabouya – 12.00 pm
Anse La Raye vs. Babonneau – 12. 00 pm
Additionally, the schedule of matches for Saturday afternoon games is as follows –
Gros Islet vs. Marchand – 1.00 pm
Soufriere vs. Desruisseaux
Canaries vs. Roseau – 2.00 pm
Dennery vs. Central Castries
Anse La Raye vs. Mabouya – 3.00 pm
Vieux Fort South vs. Babonneau
Soufriere vs. Marchand – 4.00 pm
Gros Islet vs. Desruisseaux
Dennery vs. Roseau – 5.00 pm
Canaries vs. Central Castries.
In other updates, the SLFA Inc. Senior Women competition resumed with a doubleheader at the Dennery Playing Field on Tuesday 12th April.
In the first encounter, the National Under-14 team made light work of Desruisseaux, defeating them 4 – 1.
Destiny Daniel scored a hat trick with goals in the 32nd, 47th, and 68th min that included two penalty conversions; while Clowie William netted in the 22nd minute.
Makhaya Smith pulled one back for Desruisseaux in the 81st minute.
Front runners Vieux Fort South continued their unbeaten run with a 4 – 1 win over Dennery with braces from Freegeanne Joseph goals in the 25th and 32nd minutes and Ilana Lashley in the 32nd minute and 2nd minute of added time spurred their team to victory.
Shaqelle Charlery scored for Dennery in the 42nd minute.