Vincy Heat knocked out cold

St Vincent and the Grenadines is out of the 2014 Caribbean Football Union’s senior men’s final, after failing to advance from the second round semi-finals, staged in Guadeloupe.{{more}}

It was a case of déjà vu, as St Vincent and the Grenadines suffered another loss in their crucial match last Sunday afternoon, losing to Martinique, 4-3, reminiscent of what took place in Tobago in 2012.

The Vincentians had all to play for against the Martiniquans, as they went into the match having to win to earn a berth in the finals, set for Jamaica, later this month.

Vincy Heat’s hopes were brightened when Finland-based Cornelius Stewart converted a brace and Oalex Anderson with another, saw them cock-a-hoop, mid-way into the second period of play.

But after that 3-1 lead, the Vincentians let it slip, and were crestfallen, as Martinique conjured up three unanswered goals, to snatch a come from behind win.

St Vincent and the Grenadines regrouped, following a 3-1 loss to host Guadeloupe on Wednesday, by bouncing back on Friday to edge out Curacao one- nil.

The win came compliments a strike from Anderson in the fourth minute.

This threw the group open, as Martinique, who drew with Curacao 1-1, went on to stop Guadeloupe, 2-1.

Curacao beat Guadeloupe 1-nil, to join Martinique as the other qualifier from group nine of the competition.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is yet to reclaim the form of the modern Caribbean tournaments, which saw them reaching the final stage with regularity.

This was achieved under the tutelage of then coach Elliot Millington in the latter 1980’s and early 1990’s.

American-Jamaican, Lenny Taylor, emulated Millington by guiding St Vincent and the Grenadines to a place in the finals in the Cayman Islands.

This feat gave St Vincent and the Grenadines its solitary visit to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA in 1996.

The show, though, will go on in 2014, as also advancing to the Jamaica finals are Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua and Barbuda from group seven, with host Haiti and French Guiana, making the final cut from group eight.

Host and record holders with eight titles in their pouch, Trinidad and Tobago, maintained their reputation, finishing with a perfect record from their three matches, with Antigua and Barbuda, securing one win, one draw and one loss.

The Dominican Republic with one win and one draw, and St Lucia, who lost all three matches, completed the group.

Haiti recorded one win and two draws, while French Guiana had one win, one draw and one loss.

St Kitts and Nevis and Barbados, completed that grouping.

They join host Jamaica and 2012 winners, Cuba in the November 10-17 finals in Montego Bay.

Group A of the finals consists of Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao and French Guiana and Group B – Jamaica, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti.

The four top teams head to the CONCACAF finals in the USA in 2015. (RT)