Grenada hoists first Champions of Champions Cup, edging St. Lucia 3-2

Ariel Jacob carried the Spice Boyz to the Champions of Champions Cup trophy with an 80^th minute tap-in after Grenada speedster Clive Murray and St. Lucia’s number 10 Bradley Nestor exchanged two goals apiece.

As presumed the FGSL's first Champions of Champions Cup game wasn’t a shy one. 20 fouls were committed, five cards were issued—one red—19 shots were taken, three penalties were called and the crowd was perhaps the loudest it’s been all season on Sunday evening at Old Boys High Athletic Complex in Brooklyn.

At the end of the day, the International FGSL champions got the best out of the Big 4 Supporters Cup champions as Grenada slimmed past St. Lucia 3-2, thanks to Ariel Jacob’s 80^th minute winner.

The 30-year-old was thrilled of scoring the decider of the Champions Cup.

“It feels great, bro,” the Grenadian said with a full grin lighting up his face. “It’s a great, great, a really good feeling.”

Grenada captain Clive Murray won the Champions Cup’s MVP award for scoring a double.

Grenada captain Clive Murray was nominated Champions of Champions Cup MVP. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images

Prior to the match, Murray touched on his side’s struggle to start games strong. Once again this season, the Spice Boyz didn’t kick things off right on the pitch.

Two minutes into the game, Kersan Marcellin pounced on a sloppy giveaway from the Grenadians in the middle of the pitch then hit a well measured though ball to Daran Fedee. Fedee paced at Marcellin’s pass and managed to steer a low shot but Grenada keeper Ken Searles bolted off his line to make a crucial block.

The Helen of the West Indies almost scored the opener again the following minute. K. Marcellin whipped a cross in from the right wing to an unmarked Daran Edde. Unfortunately for the St. Lucians, Edde couldn’t get a header in as K. Marcellin’s cross was a bit overhit.  

“We had a slow start,” Grenada’s Jacob admitted, “we had to bounce back and build some momentum going forward.”

Grenada slowly started to get in the game in the seventh minute. Marcus Julien drew a tough save from St. Lucia’s keeper Chad Phillip with a low hit from outside the box. Philip couldn’t hold on to Julien’s sizzling shot. Murray banged the rebound off the crossbar but it wouldn’t have counted anyway since the assistant referee waved his flag for offside.

The Spice Boyz penetrated down Lucia’s half again in the 10^th minute as 23-year-old Shavon John-Brown rolled an intelligent through ball to an open Julien. Keeper Philip charged off his line and tripped Julien, conceding the first penalty kick of the match.

Murray converted the spot kick, confidently beaming the ball to the left corner of the net.

The International FGSL champions extended their lead to two in the 22^nd minute with unarguably the best goal of the encounter. John-Brown skilled past a St. Lucia player down the right flank before unleashing the ball to Julien on the opposite wing. Julien bent in a pinpoint cross to Murray, who side-footed the ball in the net.

Seven minutes after the restart, the Piton found hope of a comeback as they were rewarded a penalty for keeper Searles’ foul on K. Marcellin.

Bradley Nestor beat Searles from 12 yards out to cut Grenada’s lead in half.

The St. Lucians almost put themselves leveled in the 54^th minute as K. Marcellin headed Nestor’s cross off the right post.

K. Marcellin freed himself from the Grenadian defenders again in the 59^th minute and was dangerously charging alone toward his opponents’ net. Searles came off his line once more to make another life-saving block.

Later in the 65^th minute the referee blew his whistle for another penalty in favor of St. Lucia as Grenada left back Ken Ganness raised his foot above knee-length to prevent Nestor from shooting.

Nestor picked the lower right corner of the net on the spot kick; Searles dove the right way but wasn’t able to get a hand on the ball.

Eight minutes after rallying back from a two-goal deficit, the Supporters Cup champions went down a man as John Perry was red-carded for a late tackle on Murray.

From the set piece Perry conceded, Julien missed a glorious scoring opportunity,  hitting Cudel Collins’ free kick past the right goal post from the six-yard box in the 75^th minute.

Nevertheless Grenada did win the game in the 80^th minute when Shane Rennie juked past a Lucia defender in the box before squaring the ball to Jacob, who coolly tapped the ball in the net.

Grenada player Ariel Jacob. Brooklyn Soccer Life Images

Jacob noted that his side’s tenacity is what inspired them to the victory of the expected fierce Champions Cup game.

“We’re accustomed to the physicality, you know, it’s not a problem,” he said. “As I said, the guys came on and gave their full hundred that’s how we got that win.”

Statistics

Grenada

Shots (on target): 10 (4)

Saves: 6 (keeper Ken Searles)

Fouls: 11

Yellow cards: 2 (Jason James, Ken Ganness)

Red cards: 0

Corners: 2

Offsides: 1

St. Lucia

Shots (on target): 9 (7)

Saves: 2 (Chap Phillip)

Fouls: 9

Yellow cards: 2 (Germal Valcin, Taj Marcellin)

Red cards: 1 (John Perry-- 73^rd min.)

Corners: 4

Offsides: 1

Grenada squares up with St. Lucia in first edition of Champions of Champions Cup

The first piece of silverware of the FGSL 2018 season will be fought this weekend as last year's International League champions Grenada will take on last season's International Big 4 Supporters Cup titlists St. Lucia in the first edition of the Champions of Champions Cup on Sunday May 20th at 5:30 p.m. at Old Boys High Athletic Field, Brooklyn, NY.

St. Lucia clinched the Champions of Champions Cup by edging Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1-0 in the Big 4 Supporters Cup final. The Saint Lucians rolled their terrific form from last year's Supporters' Cup into the 2018 International FGSL season, going undefeated in their first three matches with wins over Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis and a draw with Saint Vincent and Grenadines.

The Champions Cup will be an emotional one for the Lucians as they will be playing their first match since the passing of their former teammates Tafari Charlemagne. St. Lucia will honor Charlemagne, with a minute of silence before the match.

As for Grenada they reached the Champions of Champions Cup by narrowing past Guyana 1-0 in last year's epic International FGSL final, however they haven't started this season quite the way they wanted to, sitting fourth in the standings with two wins and two losses.

Grenada forward Clive Murray noted that one of the Spice Boyz flaws so far this season is their slow start of games and expressed how crucial it is for he and his players to begin the match on a high note versus the Big 4 Supporters Cup champions.

"It's very important that we get going off the bat," Murray said. "We tend to start a bit slow but we're working on that. The rest should play off once we get going early."

Grenada striker Clive Murray on the ball versus Saint Vincent and Grenadines last season. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images

The 27-year-old forward leads the league in scoring with seven goals. His compatriot Marcus Julien is second behind him with four goals. The two have scored 11 of Grenada's 12 goals.

Lucia owns the following two top scorers of the league: Daran Fedee and Bradley Nestor who both tallied three goals.

With the help of Fedee and Nestor, St. Lucia is the third best scoring team netting 2.6 goals per game. And as for defense, they haven't conceded a goal yet in three outings.

St. Lucia has the best defense in the International FGSL, not allowing a goal in three games. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images

In St. Lucia's last silverware-deciding game, the Big 4 Supporters Cup, as mentioned they held St. Vincent scoreless 1-0. It was The Piton's last game before the start of this season hence they will go into the Champions of Champions Cup on four consecutive clean sheets.

Grenada is the perfect match for St. Lucia's defensive prowess as they lead the league in scoring, tallying 12 goals in four matches.