The latest round of matches in Tier 1 of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL) delivered a tense, low-scoring weekend of action at Soufrière Stadium, with just three goals split across four fixtures that left the title race more tightly contested than ever. The weekend’s biggest story was the failure of all three top title contenders to secure full points, which has opened the door for two-time defending champions La Clery – who had no match scheduled this weekend – to keep their push for a third consecutive crown well and truly alive.
To start the matchweek, third-placed Dennery was held to a 1-1 draw by Gros Islet, extending an underwhelming run of form that has seen the eastern side draw three straight league outings. Eden Charles broke the deadlock for Gros Islet in the 18th minute, but Javel Faucher responded with an equalizer for Dennery in the 54th minute, nine minutes after the halftime break, and neither side could find a game-winning goal after that.
Second-place Canaries also failed to capitalize on an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Vieux Fort South, playing out a goalless stalemate against Mabouya Valley that left both sides sharing a single point apiece.
The trend of dropped points continued on Sunday, when table-topping Vieux Fort South was held to a 0-0 draw by eighth-ranked Anse La Raye. The southern leaders struggled to break down a well-organized Anse La Raye defensive block, failing to find any consistent attacking rhythm in the final third of the pitch. The match was also marked by several rough challenges, with Vieux Fort South’s Kimlan Mason picking up a yellow card in the 48th minute and teammate Saviola Elva booked in the 84th minute, while Anse La Raye’s Jaydin Ezekiel saw a caution in the 86th minute.
The only side to walk away with all three points from the weekend was Soufrière, who defeated Central Castries 1-0 in the final fixture of the matchweek. Hanif Antoine got the hosts off to a dream start, netting the game’s only goal just 10 minutes after kickoff to put Soufrière in the driving seat. The match took a turn for the hosts in the 74th minute, though, when defender Paullkuss Wendel Joseph was sent off after picking up a second yellow card, his first coming in the 34th minute, leaving Soufrière to play out the final 16 minutes a man down. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the side from Sulphur City held firm defensively and held on for the full three points.
Following this weekend’s results, Vieux Fort South remains at the top of the Tier 1 table, but the gap between the leaders and the chasing pack has narrowed significantly. Three draws from their last four outings have slowed the league leaders’ momentum, and with all of the top three contenders dropping points over the weekend, the race for the SPFL Tier 1 title remains wide open heading into the next round of fixtures.