The knockout phase of the 26th Blackheart / Saint Lucia Football Association Under-20 Tournament delivered two days of nail-biting semifinal action over the weekend, as the nation’s top four youth sides battled for a place in the title decider. When the final whistles blew, two teams – La Clery and Vieux Fort South – emerged victorious from tight, hard-fought contests to book their spots in next weekend’s championship match at Soufrière Stadium. Notably, both semifinal matchups were rematches of zonal finals held earlier in the 2025 tournament, adding an extra layer of competitive tension to the weekend’s fixtures.
The first semifinal kicked off on Saturday at Soufrière Stadium, where hometown side and Southern Zone champions Soufrière hosted Vieux Fort South. The visiting side drew first blood in the 21st minute, when striker Obafami Poyotte found the back of the net to put Vieux Fort South up 1-0. Soufrière responded before the break, however, as Cassian Jn Baptiste scored the equalizing goal just moments before halftime, resetting the scoreline heading into the second half.
The remainder of the match was a tightly contested affair, with neither squad able to seize sustained control of possession or create a clear go-ahead chance until late in regulation. With 13 minutes left to play, Vieux Fort South forward Kelvin Sylvester made a well-timed attacking run, drew the Soufrière goalkeeper off his line, and slotted home the game-winner to secure his side’s place in the final, with the match ending 2-1.
The second semifinal took place on Sunday at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds, where zonal champions Gros Islet faced off against La Clery on home turf. Despite missing their starting key midfielder Shevon Byron, who was suspended after receiving a red card in the quarterfinal round, the home side dominated large swathes of the match, particularly in the opening 45 minutes. Even with their sustained attacking pressure, Gros Islet could not break through for a goal, and the two sides went into halftime deadlocked at 0-0.
Gros Islet finally made their possession count in the second half, when a second-half substitution paid off immediately. In the 70th minute, forward Rickelme Lionel converted a powerful cross to put the home side ahead 1-0, putting them on the brink of a spot in the final. For the remainder of regulation, Gros Islet controlled play with sharp, intricate passing that stretched La Clery’s defense across the full width of the pitch, and the 1-0 scoreline held deep into stoppage time.
But La Clery refused to concede, and capitalized on a rare counter-attack to earn a corner kick just four minutes into added time. Defender Alex Devaux converted the set piece opportunity to level the scores, sending the match to a penalty shootout to decide the winner. La Clery’s goalkeeper delivered a game-winning performance in the shootout, making a critical final save to secure a 5-4 penalty win for his side, capping off a stunning late comeback against the tournament favorites.
Speaking to reporters after the weekend’s matches, Blackheart CEO David “Shakes” Christopher praised the intensity and quality of the two semifinals. “This was a terrific weekend of youth football,” he said. “We saw a thrilling match between Soufrière and Vieux Fort South, where Soufrière unfortunately fell just short, then we had a very tight, fascinating match in Gros Islet where La Clery edged the home side.”
The championship final is scheduled for June 20 at Soufrière Stadium, where La Clery will battle Vieux Fort South for the tournament title and a grand prize of $30,000. Ahead of the final, third place will be decided between the two losing semifinalists, Soufrière and Gros Islet.
Christopher noted that reformatting the 26th edition of the tournament as an Under-20-only competition has been a resounding success, calling the decision a strategic new direction for the event. “This has been a great new experience, a new vision for the tournament,” he explained. “I think the public has reacted really well to the vision, and they’ve embraced it. We saw massive attendance at both venues this weekend, and that proves that the future of football in Saint Lucia is in good hands. We just need to keep coming out to support these young athletes.”
Christopher also issued an appeal to corporate entities across Saint Lucia to step up and support the tournament ahead of the final. “We need to call on corporate Saint Lucia to come on board and support these young men,” he said. “Even if you can’t contribute a large prize, every bit helps. Put something on the table, make a donation, add to the prize pool, and let’s make this a wonderful final for everyone involved.”