Halfway through the 2026 Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League Tier 1 season, the competition for the championship title remains tightly contested, with Vieux Fort South (VFS) clinging to its position at the top of the league table following a full slate of matches across four consecutive match days at Gros Islet’s Francis Baba Lastic Grounds.
The action kicked off on Thursday with one of the biggest upsets of the campaign to date, as underdog Central Castries secured a shock 1-0 victory over title-chasing Dennery. The match’s only goal came just nine minutes after kickoff, when striker Benerrero Wellington found the back of the net. The result blocked Dennery’s chance to climb into first place and shook up the already competitive title race, leaving the title contenders still lurking just outside the top two.
Three days later, Saturday’s main fixture saw VFS edge out Soufriere by a narrow 1-0 scoreline to preserve their pole position. The defining moment of the match came in the 55th minute, when a powerful free kick from VFS’s Trent Alexander was inadvertently deflected into Soufriere’s own net by defender Mahvy Rismay. Tensions ran high late in the game: in the 73rd minute, VFS head coach Jamil Joseph received a caution from match officials for vocal dissent against a call, as the side fought hard to hold onto their slim lead and collect all three full points.
In Saturday’s early kickoff, defending league champions La Clery picked up a 3-1 win over Mabouya Valley to keep their title defense hopes alive. La Clery got off to a blistering start, with Ronham Cooper putting the side ahead just 60 seconds into the match. Mabouya Valley held firm through the rest of the first half, however, and earned a equalizer from a 41st-minute penalty converted by Canius Sandiford. The balance of the match shifted in the second half after a key substitution: Keenan Joseph came off the bench in the 65th minute, and went on to score two quick goals in the 67th and 74th minutes to lock in the three points for the champions.
Sunday brought a packed double-header of Tier 1 action, opening with a dominant 3-0 win for Canaries over neighboring side Anse La Raye. Oneal Toussaint got Canaries on the board first in the 12th minute, and the side sealed the victory late in the second half with two goals from Alex Longville: a penalty in the 72nd minute followed by a second strike just four minutes later. The defeat leaves Anse La Raye stuck at the very bottom of the league table.
The day’s final match saw hosts Gros Islet claim a 1-0 win over Vieux Fort North, with Dervaj Edward netting the game’s only goal in the 59th minute. The hosts faced a late setback when defender Thierry Morille was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the 76th minute, forcing Gros Islet to play out the final 14 minutes with just 10 men on the pitch. Despite the disadvantage, the side held on to secure their first win in three outings, breaking a brief dry spell.
Following the full week of matches, the current league table reflects the tight gap between the top contenders. VFS leads the standings with 17 points from eight matches, with defending champions La Clery trailing just two points behind in second place on 15 points. Dennery sits third with 13 points, holding a game in hand that could see them close the gap on the top two. At the lower end of the table, Central Castries and Gros Islet sit in seventh and eighth place respectively, both tied on nine points and separated only by goal difference. Mabouya Valley and Anse La Raye occupy the final two spots in the 10-team league, both sitting on five points.
The Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League will resume its schedule this midweek, with two fixtures scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday evenings in Gros Islet, before another full weekend double-header of matches kicks off.