The highly anticipated Schools Under-19 Boys Football Tournament has entered its early competitive phase, with Matchday 2 delivering high-scoring drama across the southern and coastal regions of Saint Lucia on Wednesday. Tournament organizers announced a last-minute change to the schedule, postponing all matches scheduled for the northern part of the island, citing unforeseen extenuating circumstances that prevented the fixtures from going ahead as planned.
Despite the truncated matchday, five completed contests across three host venues delivered non-stop excitement for fans, with a combined 30 goals hitting the back of the net – an average of six goals per game that delighted spectators in attendance.
The opening fixture at Soufrière Stadium served as the ultimate thriller for football fans, as the TVET Institute of Construction and Heritage (Piaye) pulled off a narrow 6-5 victory over Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School. It was a standout individual performance that stole the show, with Mathius Isidore of the Laborie-based institute netting four unanswered goals across the second half and closing stages. Isidore found the net in the 34th, 40th, 63rd and 75th minutes to anchor his side’s win, with additional goals coming from Sherhil Alexander in the 20th minute and Kurtney Sonson two minutes before Isidore’s third strike.
Vieux Fort Comprehensive put up a fierce fight to stay in the contest, with Joshua Joseph and Elijah St Romain each scoring two goals apiece in the 10th, 30th, 27th and 53rd minutes respectively. Jahil Dormant added the team’s fifth goal in the 65th minute, just two minutes after Isidore’s third goal, but the side could not find an equalizer to force extra time.
At Philip Marcellin Grounds, Soufrière Comprehensive Secondary School claimed a comfortable 5-2 win over the TVET School of Innovation & Technology (Anse Ger). Curdin Jones dominated the pitch for Soufrière Comprehensive, netting a first-half hat-trick that set the tone for the win. Jones opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, doubled his side’s lead eight minutes later, and sealed his treble with the team’s fifth goal in the 56th minute. Mickel Mitchell put the result beyond doubt with two quick-fire goals in the 40th and 41st minutes, just before halftime. Kishawn Canchon and Benaiam Poyotte responded with consolation goals for the Anse Ger side in the 35th and 60th minutes respectively.
The second fixture at the same venue ended in a tense 2-2 draw between Beanefield Comprehensive and Choiseul Secondary School. Choiseul Secondary took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Micah Brouet found the back of the net in the 39th minute. Beanefield turned the tide of the match in the second half, with Keonte Derose equalizing in the 51st minute before Stewart Emmanuel put the side ahead with just 10 minutes left on the clock. However, Choiseul avoided defeat with a late equalizer from Dermille Theodore in the 83rd minute, splitting the points between the two sides.
Three additional matches were held at the Saint Lucia Football Association’s Technical Center, producing three more results. Micoud Secondary School played to a 1-1 draw with the TVET Institute of Culinary Arts & Sustainable Agriculture (Grande Riviere), while Leon Hess Comprehensive School secured a 3-1 win over Clendon Mason Memorial School. In the final fixture of the day, C.A.R.E. claimed a 2-0 shutout victory over Entrepot Secondary School, with an 18th-minute strike from Ezekiel Cunude and a 44th-minute goal from Ethan Thomas sealing the three points.