La Clery are the champions of the Blackheart Football Tournament for the first time, following a narrow victory Sunday night against a resilient Anse La Raye team, and in front of a packed house at the Soufrière Mini Stadium.
This win adds more silverware to what has been a historic year for La Clery, as they previously secured the inaugural Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League Tier 1 title just last month, and won the SLFA Island Cup in January.
Both teams entered the match with high hopes. La Clery had defeated the 2023 champions Soufrière in the semifinals, while Anse La Raye overcame six-time winners Vieux Fort South.
The first half of the final was marked by end-to-end action, with shots on both goals. La Clery initially dominated possession, but Anse La Raye skillfully utilised counterattacks to create their own opportunities. Despite this back-and-forth, the teams remained deadlocked at halftime, with no goals scored.
The second half saw a fierce contest for dominance. However, it became evident that the Castries team had better chances inside the 18-yard box.
La Clery missed several golden opportunities to take the lead, with frustration visibly building among their players. Their perseverance paid off in the 85th minute, when Anse La Raye goalkeeper Samuel Cadette committed a foul in the penalty area. National striker Yanic Noel capitalized on the resulting spot kick, slotting it home to give Castries a 1-0 advantage.
As often happens, the late goal intensified the on-field tensions. Match official Renlee Napoleon, who isn’t shy when it comes to bookings, showed red cards to Erickson Maglorie and Ronham Cooper after an on-field scuffle, leaving both teams down to 10-men in the dying moments.
Discipline has been a recurring concern for Blackheart organisers, as evidenced by numerous cautions and dismissals throughout the competition.
After more than 10 minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle confirmed La Clery as the champions, allowing them to walk away with the trophy, bragging rights, and a $25,000 dollar cheque plus an extra $5,000 for at-risk youth in their community.
PHOTO: La Clery SPFL team (File image)
