Soufriere emerged champions of this season’s Blackheart Knockout Football Tournament with a clinical 2-nil victory over Dennery, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground [DSCG], on Saturday.
The west coast team had made it to the Blackheart finals on two previous occasions, and this time, they made their efforts count with a hard-fought, thrilling victory that players and fans alike savoured through out the match.
Last Saturday, with the stakes being high, playing against the defending Blackheart champions – Dennery, who had previously defeated them in a Blackheart championship final, Soufriere strode out bubbling over with confidence and the vocal support from their fans reverberating across the grounds.
Soufriere’s skipper and talisman William Cenac helped his team take an early lead and from thereon, they stamped their authority in the match. Antoine Welman stepped up the pace soon after the interval, to send his side 2-up in the 51st minute.
Dennery too, had their chances on goal but were denied by a robust defense and good goal-keeping. At times, it appeared that the ‘Gods’ were with Soufriere, especially towards the latter half of play as Dennery became more desperate in their hunt for a goal and they came perilously close to netting goals, but that goal search eventually eluded them right to the end.
Having got past Gros Islet 1-0 in the semi-finals, Soufriere set their eyes on the coveted title prize and would let nothing stand in their way this time, as they marched on to victory convincingly.
Soufriere’s head coach Nehemiah Jean was ecstatic as he spoke to journalists, after the match. Noting that he had been a player on the team on the two previous occasions in 2009 and 2012 when the team made it to the finals, he urged the squad to go all out for victory.
Jean explained that it was a “very young team” that competed in the tournament and made it to the finals, with players as young as 16 and 17 years in the squad. “We had our plans, we stuck to the plan and we fought right to the end …these players always do the best for us and I’m happy for them,” he said.
Added Jean: “I told the players that I have been to the Blackheart finals, twice as a player …and I told them that this time we are not going home without that cup (BKF Championship title) and we were able to get the victory.”
At the post-match awards presentation, the following individuals were recognized:
– Tournament MVP / Most Goals – William Cenac
– Young Player of the Tournament – Eymani Butcher
– MVP Finals – Tornelle Nicolas