Game report
Grenada rallied back for a 2-1 win over Saint-Vincent and Grenadines in the quarter-finals of the International FGSL on Sunday evening at Old Boys and Girls high school.Saint-Vincent's captain Daren Francis netted the opener early in the second minute of play. Francis' goal was cancelled by Grenada's number 10 Shane Rennie's penalty kick at the quarter hour mark. Clive Murray scored the winning goal for The Spice Boys thirty minutes inside the second half.
Guinea stunned defending champions Haiti 7-1 earlier on Sunday in the first quarter-final. It looked as if another upset was in the making when sixth placed SVG took the lead over third placed Grenada just two minutes into the game.
It was Francis who gave Saint-Vincent the speedy lead as he beamed Delroy Samuel's short pass past opposing keeper Josh Charles from the top corner of the 18-yard box.
Grenada was rewarded a penalty kick in the fourteenth minute for a foul committed by the Vincentian right back Ryan Creese.
Grenada almost took the lead two minutes inside the second half when Richardson Etienne rolled a through ball to Marcus Julien. But unfortunately for the Island of Spice, the Vincentian keeper Marcus Williams came off his line and dove at Julien to dispossess him from the ball.
SVG went down to 10 men six minutes after the hour mark. Center back Cristino Myers was red-carded for a hard tackle on Etienne.
Despite playing down a man, Vincent came close to re-taking the lead when Ronsil Badnock sliced a shot with the outside of his boot from the top of the box to the top right corner of the net. Keeper Charles flew on his left to make a breathtaking one-handed save.
The Spice Boys scored the decisive goal half an hour in the second half as Clyve Murray brought down an exquisite ball over the top before dribbling past a couple of Vincentian defenders to roll the ball to the bottom left corner of the net.
Three key notes
1. All Grenada's shots on target were goals: Grenada's two shots on target both resulted in goals. Saint-Vincent took more shots on target than The Spice Boys, outnumbering them 5-2. Grenada didn't record a shot on goal in the first half.
2. Saint-Vincent played most of the game with only one coach: SVG assistant coach was ejected in the 21st minute for screaming at the referee after he failed to blow his whistle for a hand ball in the middle of the pitch on Grenada.
3. Grenadian keeper Josh Charles was a valuable asset in his side's win: Charles racked four saves to keep his side in the game before their winning goal in the 63rd minute.
Players' voice: Richardson Etienne
Former Grenada international, Richardson Etienne, was overjoyed by the playoff win and praised the Grenadian supporters for their vibrant spirit.
"I'm very happy," Etienne said. "For my first year playing here for a long time, come back and play with the national team is [great]. The crowd is amazing. They always there every game. We looking forward to the next game."
When asked if he still believed his side had a chance to win when they went down a goal in the second minute, Etienne said: "Yeah, sure. With the quality players we have."
He later added: "We was one goal down, we decided to keep going at it, keep pushing forward and put some pressure on them."
Grenada lost to Haiti in the final last season, the midfielder is assured that his country will go on to win the league this year.
"We can go all the way," he said. "Yeah, we can go all the way. We just need to be a little more focused and a little more together as a team. There's nothing impossible to do."
Statistics
Grenada
Shots (on target): 11 (2)
Saves: 4
Fouls: 11
Corners: 4
Offsides: 2
Yellow cards:1
Red cards: 0
Saint-Vincent and Grenadines
Shots (on target): 7 (5)
Saves: 0
Fouls: 8
Corners: 1
Offsides: 0
Yellow cards: 2 (Ronsil Badnock, Ryan Creese)
Red cards: Cristino Myers
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