CFU U14 Challenge Series… Guyana’s Junior Jaguars are Tier II champions!

It was absolute scenes at the Cap Cana Sports City in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Sunday morning as Guyana’s National Under-14 Boys’ Football team came out on top of back-to-back penalty shootouts to clinch the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under- 14 Challenge Series Tier II title.
Once again, Guyana came from behind their opponents to pull off the victory, this time, to win the most important game of the tournament.
Head Coach Jamal Pedro opted for a starting XI that included Captain Dylan Kendall, goalkeeper Royston Winter, Daniel Chesney, Gilbert Frank, Fabio Kowlessar, Malik Sobers, Adiel Hamilton, Cavon Peters, Aaron Vasconcellos, Dontay Kowlessar, and Dane Vancooten.
In the contest against Guyana’s continental neighbour Suriname, the local side found themselves down early, conceding to Suriname in the 17th minute. As Guyana tried to get the ball out of their box, Suriname’s Vaughn Zeegelaar sent the return shot into the goalkeeper’s area, where Winter was able to punch it out but not hold on to the ball. Valentinho Amaisi, capitalising on the lapse, slotted the ball back into the goal for an early lead for Suriname.

Similarly to their semi-final match, Guyana pulled off their comeback in the second half, owing to a one-man advance from Vancooten. Fabio Kowlessar, who had been a maestro in the midfield for Guyana, took charge of the press, sending the ball out to the right wing where Vancooten began his advance into the box. Fighting off two defenders in the process, a touch with the outside of his right foot gave the Guyanese forward the space he needed to slot the ball home at last post, past the advancing Surinamese keeper, for Guyana’s equaliser in the 46th minute.
At the other end of the pitch, Winter was making up for his earlier indiscretion, pulling off some magnificent saves to keep Guyana in the game. Eventually, the 70 minutes of regulation time ended with the scores locked 1-1, plunging the contest into kicks from the penalty spot.
While Guyana’s shooters in Wayshawn Forde, Adiel Hamilton, Dane Vancooten, and Aaron Vasconcellos expertly converted from the spot, Suriname were the author of their own undoing, converting twice and going over the crossbar twice for a 4-2 result on penalties in Guyana’s favour.
Winter, hailing from the Gladiators Football Club in the Rupununi (Region Nine) was named both the tournament’s best goalkeeper and Most Valuable player (MVP). Meanwhile, Surinamese striker Alexander Alberga was the highest goalscorer in Tier II.
Guyana’s championship win in Tier II came as a result of the team’s dominance throughout the competition, where they maintained an unbeaten run, without losing any points in the group stage.
The Junior Jaguars enjoyed a blistering 8-1 victory over Montserrat in their tournament opener, before going on to down Anguilla 4-1 in their second Group C clash. The U14 boys then closed the group out with a nail-biting 1-0 victory over The Bahamas. As such, the Junior Jags finished at the top of Tier II, Group C, with a perfect nine points from three games, while scoring 13 goals and conceding just two.
In the semi-final round, Guyana pulled off a brilliant comeback, twice in 70 minutes, against St Martin to level the scores 2-2 thus plunging the game into penalty kicks. Winter earned his keep in that shootout, making three amazing saves to seal a 4-2 victory and ascension to the final.
A missive from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) noted, “The championship also reflects the continued development of Guyana’s youth football programme, with the Under-14 Boys demonstrating resilience, discipline, and composure throughout the competition.
“The Guyana Football Federation congratulates the players, coaching staff, and entire delegation on their outstanding achievement and for proudly representing Guyana on the regional stage. Guyana are CFU Tier II Champions!”
Meanwhile, GFF President Wayne Forde, who was present in the Dominican Republic for the festivities following the CFU President’s Meeting the day prior shared in a statement, “On behalf of the GFF Council and the wider football community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Under-14 boys on their historic triumph at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-14 Challenge Series Tier II.
“This remarkable achievement was made possible through the dedication, commitment, and hard work of our talented players, coaching and technical staff, supportive parents, and the hardworking team at the Federation who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this journey possible.
“We also express our sincere gratitude to FIFA, CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union for their continued support and investment in the development of football across the Region.
“This victory represents more than a trophy, it is a testament to the progress being made through our football development pathway and youth initiatives. It is an encouraging sign of what is possible when we continue to invest in, develop and believe in our young players.”
in addition, a statement from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport shared, “The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport joins the entire nation in celebrating the phenomenal victory of our National Boys Under-14 Football Team at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) match.
“This triumph is a profound testament to the unyielding dedication, discipline, and exceptional talent of our young athletes. Taking the regional stage and emerging victorious showcases not only their immense potential but also the vibrant, promising future of Guyanese football.
“The Ministry commends every single player for their hard work on the pitch, wearing the national colours with immense pride, heart, and passion.
“We also extend our deepest gratitude to the coaching staff, technical personnel, and the parents who have nurtured, guided, and supported these young men throughout their journey to this momentous win.
“Fostering youth talent and investing heavily in grassroots sports remain core pillars of our national development agenda. Watching these young men reap the rewards of their rigorous training reinforces our steadfast commitment to providing the platforms, facilities, and resources necessary for our youth to excel, both locally and on the international stage.
“Today, all of Guyana celebrates with you. You have made your country incredibly proud, and we look forward to witnessing your continued growth and many more future successes in the beautiful game.”