Players from St. Vincent & the Grenadines (pictured) celebrate after winning the 2015 Windward Islands Football Association Men's Championship title on May 16, 2015, in Vieux Fort, St. Lucia. (Photo: Anthony Debeauville)
VIEUX FORT, St. Lucia -- St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG) completed a perfect run to the 2015 Windward Islands Football Association (WIFA) Men's Championship title with a 1-0 win over Dominica on Saturday at the Philip Marcellin Grounds.
The Vincy Heat finished atop the four-team table with a 3W-0D-0L record, which included victories over Grenada (3-2) and host St. Lucia (2-1).
Myron Samuel netted the game-winner in the 22nd minute after strong run down the left by tournament MVP Emerald George.
There were jubilant scenes following the whistle as the Vincentians had finished in last place, when they hosted the first edition of the revived competition just two years ago. Some 24 months later, they sang and danced their way through the presentation ceremony, linking hands and bowing to the 1000-strong capacity crowd.
"Since early this year we have been working really hard, and we have been getting a lot of training days in,” said SVG assistant coach Westley Charles. “But a couple of weeks ago we got a week and a half training camp, so the boys have been getting some quality work in. And every plan we put in, they executed it."
In the day’s earlier match between a pair of teams previously eliminated from contention, Grenada got goals in either half from Jamal Charles to earn a 2-0 win over St. Lucia. The 20-year-old striker, making his first start of the tournament, struck in second and 78th minutes.
All four WIFA Men’s Championship participants are slated for action in the second round of World Cup Qualifying next month as Dominica will take on Canada, Grenada will square off against Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & the Grenadines will meet Guyana and St. Lucia will be tested by Antigua & Barbuda.
Notes: St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Myron Samuel finished as the tournament’s scorer with four goals, finding the back of the net in each of the three games.
2015 WINDWARD ISLANDS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Vieux Fort, St. Lucia
May 12-16, 2015
Results
May 12, 2015
Grenada 2, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 3
Goals: Shane Rennie 39’, 79’ ---- Emerald George 34’; Myron Samuel 76’; 84’ pen
St. Lucia 1, Dominica 1
Goals: Malik St. Prix 16’ ---- Glenworth Elizee 83’
May 14, 2015
Grenada 1, Dominica 2
Goals: Cassim Langaigne 18’ ---- Julian Wade 20’; Glenworth Elizee 81’
St. Lucia 1, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2
Goals: Romiel Felix 38’ ---- Emerald George 75’; Myron Samuel 85’
May 16, 2015
St. Lucia 0, Grenada 2
Goals: Jamal Charles 2’, 78’
St. Vincent & the Grenadines 1, Dominica 0
Goals: Myron Samuel 22’
Table
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | P |
| St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Dominica | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Grenada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| St.Lucia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Goals
Four
Myron Samuel, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Two
Jamal Charles, Grenada
Glenworth Elizee, Dominica
Emerald George, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Shane Rennie, Grenada
One
Romiel Felix, St. Lucia
Cassim Langaigne, Grenada
Malik St. Prix, St. Lucia
Julian Wade, Dominica
