The FGSL capped its seventh season on Sunday. It was one to remember
for Jamaica as they won their second International league title and first Champions of
Champions Cup. The Grenadians will also look back at this season with
smiles on their faces for they added two more silverwares to their collection: a
Champions of Champions Cup and the Supporters Cup.
Guyana won their first FGSL trophy as they captured the
inaugural edition of the Players Cup. As for the most notable individual awards, Jamaica
forward John-Ross Edwards won the 2018 FGSL Ballon D'or, Grenada center
back Damionne ‘Solo’ Cyrus was nominated Player of the Decade and his
compatriot Clive Murray won the Int’l Golden Boot award.
Jamaica players and coaching staff posing for a picture with the International FGSL trophy. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
Jamaica closed an undefeated Int’l FGSL season by blanking
last year’s champions Grenada 2-0 in the final on September 2nd,
thanks to John-Ross Edwards’ brace.
The Reggae Boyz had the best defense in the league, conceding
five goals in 12 matches. And to reach the final they ended the regular season
in second place then rolled past Saint Kitts and Nevis 8-1 in the quarterfinals
before downing Saint Lucia 1-0 in the semifinals.
In a team loaded with ex-international players like Grenada, two teenagers, Azel Dottin and Naji Fievre, didn’t just manage to make the
starting line-up of a cup final but made the headlines as The Spice Boyz conquered Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4-2 in penalties
to take hold of the second edition of the Supporters Cup on Sunday evening.
16-year-old Dottin racked two saves in the penalty shootout
while 15-year-old Fievre netted the opener.
"The first save I knew where he was going I had confidence in myself
so I did it," Dottin said about his blocks in the shootout. "The second one I showed people it wasn’t luck, I knew what I was
doing."
Despite the youngster’s heroics in the penalty shootout,
Saint Vincent opened the scoring from his mistake 17 minutes into the match. Dottin spilled Zenga Samuel’s long range hit in front of
him; Ryan Chris pounced on the rebound and banged the ball home past the young keeper.
Dottin’s teenage friend, Fievre, made up for his mistake in
the 24th minute with an equalizer as he tapped Clive Murray’s low
cross in the net on a counter attack.
SVG went back on top two minutes later when Stephane took full
advantage of a mispositioned Dottin on a breakaway and strolled Chris’ square
pass in the net.
"After those two mistakes, I said that’s the last one," the 16-year-old said, "after
this one it’s over, no more mistakes, I’m about to help this team win this game."
Grenada had a chance to level the scoring again when Murray
drew a spot kick in the 45th minute. Saint Vincent keeper Marcus
Williams denied Grenada striker Ike Thomas from netting the equalizer as he
dove on his right to grasp the ball.
The Spice Boyz didn’t tie the game until 10 minutes into the
second half through Shavon John-Brown's screamer. The midfielder paced by a sea of Saint Vincent players before
sizzling a shot to the top right corner of the net from about 25 yards out.
The score remained locked 2-2 all the way to the final whistle.
Despite his age, Dottin was confident going into in the penalty shootout.
"I was not nervous at all," he said, "I had confidence in my team because
I knew they were going to score all the penalties so it was just up to me to
make that one save."
Indeed all of the first three Grenadians scored from 12 yards,
John-Brown, Murray and Moran Phillip.
Dottin blocked Saint Vincent’s first two PKs, diving on his
left then on his right respectively before Damionne 'Solo' Cyrus netted the winning spot
kick.
Game pic of Jamaica's match versus Guyana. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
Int’l FGSL titlists Jamaica snatched the Champions of Champions
Cup, edging Players Cup winners Guyana 5-4 in penalty kicks after coming back
from a two-goal deficit in the regular 90.
Guyana took an early lead as Romello Fraser capped a counter
attack with a low finish to the far-left corner from the top of the box.
The Golden Jaguars went up by two in the 20th
minute when Shane Luckie brought down Collie Harcolese’s long ball down before
going around keeper Devon Haughton to roll the ball in an empty net.
Romario Brown cut Guyana’s lead in half as he directed a
rebound from the opposing keeper’s gloves in the net just five minutes inside
the second half.
The Reggae Boyz drew a penalty kick 12 minutes into the
second period when Haughton was brought down by the opposite keeper in the box.
Javon Allison converted the spot kick, picking the lower
right corner of the net. Neither sides were able to score for the remainder of the
regular play hence the game went to PK.
In his first match with the team, Jamaica’s keeper Omar
Mazelin blocked Guyana’s last penalty to walk his country to a 5-4 win.
Mazelin was thrilled of his save.
“As a goalkeeper personally, it’s one of the best feelings
to know that you saved the last penalty.”
He previously mentioned: “I was confident. I told myself ‘Alright,
I think I have to do it now or it’s not going to be done so the confidence
that I gave myself before is what gave me the drive.’”
Grenada conquered St. Lucia in first ever Champions Cup
Grenada captain Clive Murray as he receives the Champions of Champions Cup. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
Grenada lifted the first trophy of the season back in May as
they slimmed past Saint Lucia 3-2 in the first edition of the Champions of Champions Cup (Int’l FGSL
winner vs Supporters Cup winner).
Fullback Ariel Jacob scored an 80th minute tap in
to usher The Spice Boyz to the win. Prior to that Clive Murray netted a double
for Grenada. Bradley Nestor was also on target twice for Saint Lucia.
Guyana players posing for a picture with the Players Cup. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
You don’t ever forget your first love; Guyana will
never forget the Players Cup, it was the first FGSL trophy they won. The Golden
Jaguars bagged the cup by vanquishing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2-1 in
the final.
Guyana downed juggernaut Jamaica in the quarterfinals and
2017 Supporters Cup winners Saint-Lucia in the semis to reach the final.
FGSL Player of the Decade Damionne 'Solo' Cyrus on the ball for Grenada. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
The cool-headed small center back Damionne ‘Solo’ Cyrus received
an early Player of the Decade award—early for it is only the league’s seventh
year of existence.
Solo is one of the calmest center half you will find in the
FGSL, one of his most noticeable expertise is to play the ball out of the back under pressure
by shifting past the forwards before pushing a pinpoint pass to his teammate.
Despite his small stature Solo has also been a wall in Grenada’s
defensive third, thanks to his tremendous soccer I.Q. and pace.
The veteran Grenadian said he’s retiring after this season
but you can bet that you’ll see him on the pitch again next year and the year
after.
Jamaica striker John-Ross Edwards. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
When you score two goals in the Int’l FGSL final after
scoring one in the semifinals, you make it easy to pick the Player of the
Year.
What’s hard to pick is Edwards’ top weapon of the season--between pace,
ball control or shots. Long balls, short passes, under pressure, when going
full speed, the ball almost always seemed to glue itself on the Jamaican’s boots; as
for his pace, whether it was on counters or when his side was slowly making its
way in their opponents’ defensive third, Ewdards often broke himself yards away
from the defenders.
To top it all the 30-year-old’s shots had one the most finest combination of accuracy and power
we saw in the playoffs.
Murray was the Int'l league's top scorer
2018 International FGSL Golden Boot winner Clive Murray exchanging a handshake with Andre Toussaint. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
Grenada captain Clive Murray led the Int’l league in scoring
with 11 goals.
Haughton bagged the Int’l league's FGSL Golden Gloves
2018 FGSL Final MVP John-Ross Ewdards alongside Golden Gloves winner Devon Haughton. Brooklyn Soccer Nations Images
Jamaica netminder Devon Haughton took home the Golden Gloves
as he helped his country to the lowest goal conceded percentage, allowing five
goals in 12 games in the league.
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