On the evening of Saturday, June 20, a sold-out crowd packed into Soufrière Stadium to witness a dramatic, action-packed final of the 2026 Blackheart/Saint Lucia Football Association Knockout Tournament, where Vieux Fort South claimed the championship title with a 4-2 victory over La Clery.
The match burst into life within the opening five minutes, as Kelvin Sylvester put Vieux Fort South (VFS) on the scoreboard first in the 4th minute. Just two minutes later, McKendy Cadette answered for La Clery, leveling the score to keep the packed crowd on edge. Forbes Charles then reclaimed the lead for VFS, only for Cadette to net his second of the night before halftime, sending the two sides into the break tied at two goals apiece.
The physical intensity of the first half — which saw referee Renleee Napoleon issue three yellow cards to La Clery and one to VFS — carried over into the second period. Despite the rough play, VFS dug deep and showed championship-level grit: Jereme Toussaint broke free of La Clery’s defense to slot home a superb go-ahead goal, before Sylvester scored his second of the match to extend VFS’s lead to 4-2.
The final stretch of regulation time brought even more adversity for Vieux Fort South. The side was forced to play the last 16 minutes without starting goalkeeper Kyle Alexander, the tournament’s top shot-stopper, then had to play down a man for the final 12 minutes after Jemal Louisy received a red card for violent conduct. VFS held firm against late pressure, however, to protect their two-goal lead and secure the win.
This 2026 tournament marked the first under-20 edition of Saint Lucia’s longest-running football knockout competition. The victory gives VFS, nicknamed the Green Giants, their fifth overall tournament trophy and their first crown since their historic four-peat between 2016 and 2019. VFS forward Obafami Poyotte was named the Most Valuable Player of the final match for his standout performance.
In the earlier third-place playoff match, Gros Islet delivered a dominant blowout victory over tournament hosts Soufrière, wrapping up a 5-0 win to claim third place. After missing the previous weekend’s semifinal against La Clery, Dervaj Edward and Shevon Byron put on a clinical attacking show, combining for three goals. Edward found the back of the net in the 4th and 26th minutes, while Byron scored in the 9th. Samaiel Louisien added a fourth goal just before halftime in the 38th minute, before tournament top goal scorer Rickelme Lionel put the final stamp on the win with a 62nd-minute goal.