Guyana’s Under-14 boys were crowned Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Tier II champions after defeating Suriname 4-2 on penalties in Sunday’s final in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
The teams were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation time, with Dane Vancooten scoring Guyana’s equaliser in the 45th minute.
Guyana remained composed during the shootout as Wayshawn Forde, Adiel Hamilton, Vancooten and Aaron Vasconcellos converted their penalties to secure the championship.
Goalkeeper Royston Winter capped an impressive campaign by receiving the Best Goalkeeper and Most Valuable Player awards. His performances throughout the tournament, including important contributions during the knockout-stage shootouts, played a major role in Guyana’s success.
The young Golden Jaguars reached the final after winning all three of their group matches. They began with an emphatic 8-1 victory over Montserrat before beating Anguilla 4-1.
Guyana completed the group stage with a narrow 1-0 win over The Bahamas, courtesy of Forde’s decisive goal in the 65th minute.
Those results placed Guyana at the top of Tier II Group C with a perfect nine points. The team scored 13 goals and conceded only two during the group stage.
Guyana’s resilience was tested in the semi-final against Saint Martin. That encounter ended 2-2 in regulation time before the Guyanese advanced with a 4-2 shootout victory.
Another tense contest followed in the championship match, but Guyana again held their nerve from the penalty spot to complete an unbeaten campaign and lift the Tier II title.
The Guyana Football Federation congratulated the players, coaching staff and delegation on the achievement, which it said reflected the continued development of the country’s youth football programme.
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