Canaries retained the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Inc. Senior Women Championship title, under the theme : “Let Them Play” with a commanding 2-1 victory over Vieux Fort South on Saturday at the Phillip Marcellin Grounds (PMG).
The match began with a goalless first half, but the intensity ramped up as both teams battled fiercely. Midway through the second half, Canaries struck first with a clinical shot into the net by Kyla Solomon in the 58 th minute , taking a well-earned lead.
With passionate support from their fans, Vieux Fort South rallied and managed to equalize through Ernasha Nanton, eight minutes later, intensifying the competition.
However , the Canaries trio of Cassandra Shepherd, Teffany and Solomon engineered the last burst from the west-coast side. Solomon converted from another powerful left footer in the 80 th minute to earn her team a hard-fought victory.
In the third-place playoff, Desruisseaux triumphed over Central Castries in a penalty shootout after an exciting 1-1 draw. The match saw Desruisseaux take an early lead, only for Central Castries to respond, igniting the contest.
Kayla Lionel scored for Desruisseaux in the 8th minute , with J Fanis equalizing for Central Castries in the 34th minute.
The standout performer for Desruisseaux was their goalkeeper, who executed two remarkable saves to secure their third-place finish with a 4-3 win.
After the match, Canaries coach Shenelle Francis expressed her elation over the victory. She emphasized the significance of this back-to-back win, which energized both the team and the community.
“This victory is incredibly important to me and to my community. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who supported us, including district representative Wayne Girard,” said Francis.
“I was confident we would bring back the championship title to Canaries. My long-standing experience with these girls prepared us for this challenge.”
Despite some tense moments during the game, Francis motivated her players to “complete the mission we set out for” and reclaim the championship.
Renala Francis, captain of the Canaries team, acknowledged the impact of Coach Francis, who was also honored with the SLFA’s Female Coach of the Year Award, along with the support from community residents, their parliamentary representative, and others who played a vital role in their triumph.
Highlighting the team spirit that fueled their success, Renala remarked, “We cheered each other on throughout the game, and that motivated us. We will continue to train together, and we have our sights set on some of our players being selected for the national football team.”
At the post-match awards, the following were presented:
– Championship Trophy, Gold Medals , $8,000 – Canaries
– Runners Up Trophy, Silver Medlas, $5,000 – Vieux Fort South
– MVP Finals – Kyla Solomon
– Top goal scorer (11) – Casandra Shepherd
R.A