Sports

Canaries Wins SLFA Women’s Football Tournament

By Reginald Andrew
Canaries team celebrates the SLFA Women’s Championship Win
Canaries team celebrates the SLFA Women’s Championship Win

NATIONAL player Raquel John led a formidable Canaries team to victory over Central Castries in the finals of the Saint Lucia Football Association [SLFA] Women Football Tournament, held at the Phillip Marcellin Grounds  in Vieux Fort last Saturday.

Canaries outplayed Central Castries with a  3-0 win, cheered on by a spirited and enthusiastic crowd. The Women’s Championship match was an intense match up, with both teams fiercely competing in the opening 15 minutes of the 70-minute game.

However, Canaries showed superior offensive capabilities, in taking the lead. John a brace with goals in the 38th and 79th minutes, while Ankia Merdor added another in the 67th minute.

Through a series of impressive inter-passing plays, John outpaced defenders, delivering a stunning long-range shot that soared over the goalkeeper for the first goal. They maintained pressure, and Merdor capitalized on an opportunity inside the box to extend their lead to 2-0.

John finished off a brilliant solo run to secure a commanding lead for Canaries, culminating in a triumphant celebration from fans and supporters.

In the Third Place Play-Off, despite missing several chances, Vieux Fort South clinched a 1-0 victory over Desruisseaux to claim the Third-Place prize. Desruisseaux fought hard despite being a player down, with Jerddel Emery netting the winning goal in the 60th minute.

The game was locked at 0-0 at halftime, but Vieux Fort South ramped up their efforts in the second half, making aggressive runs into the box.

Despite their disadvantage, Desruisseaux did well to fend off attacks. Ultimately, Vieux Fort South sealed the game with a solo effort past the onrushing goalkeeper, winning 1-0.

In a post-match interview, Canaries coach Shenelle Francis expressed her elation about the victory, noting immense pride in her team’s exceptional performance throughout the tournament. She asserted that the team, having gone unbeaten with only one draw against Desruisseaux, entered the finals with unwavering confidence, stating, “There was no team that could have beaten us.”

She emphasised that the players possessed tremendous talent, motivation and skill.

Asked to comment on the regularity of football played in the community to help female players nurture their skills and aspire for higher levels, Francis highlighted the necessity for more games in the community to nurture young female athletes, advocating for their involvement in multiple sports, including netball, basketball, and cricket.

Francis said, “In my community, we need a lot of games for the young athletes to participate… and I keep the girls involved in activities other than football, in netball, basketball, volleyball, cricket, and other sports.”

Captain Renela Francis declared, “We played a great game,” affirming their successful execution of training strategies.

Reflecting on the challenge posed by Central Castries, she confidently remarked, “They had a lot to say… but honestly, they came with nothing.”

She further noted that their offensive playing- style has been instrumental in their success throughout the tournament. The coach looks forward to getting more female players involved in the game, and hopefully also to have a bigger fan-following to support their team.

At the post-match presentation, the following awards and prizes were given: 

Canaries – Championship Trophy, gold medals, and $6,000.00

Central Castries – Runners-Up Trophy, silver medals, and $3,000.00

Vieux Fort South – Third Place Trophy and bronze medals

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Send this to a friend