Saint Lucia’s Piton Boyz are at the bottom of Group A in the Concacaf Friendly Series after losses to Cuba and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The national men’s team fell 3-1 to the Vincy Heat on Saturday, November 15, at Estadio Cibao in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
Both teams had sustained 3-0 reversals on the previous matchday, Saint Lucia to Cuba, and SVG to the Dominican Republic. But the Heat were able to split their two games away, while Stern John’s men were left searching for answers ahead of their next two matches next March.
Vincentian captain Oalex Anderson, who plays for North Carolina FC in the USL Championship, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, with North Leeward Predators attacker Diel Spring doubling the lead a minute later. Cavalry FC forward and national team captain Caniggia Elva pulled one back on the stroke of halftime.
Despite a much more even second half, the Boyz were unable to even the stakes, eventually conceding in the 62nd minute, as System 3 striker Azhino Solomon got past custodian Devone St Prix, with a composed finish to seal the final score. There is no definitive source for the all-time record between the Windward Islands neighbours.
“It was a successful outing for the team in our continuing development,” said Vincy Heat head coach Ezra Hendrickson. “We came up against a very difficult DR team in the first game and showed well. An unfortunate missed penalty sidelined any chance of securing a point, but it was a good litmus test for us to see where we are with one of the top teams in the region. In the second game, we took control early and dominated the Lucians for the entire match.”
In another Group A result, Cuba beat Martinique 2-0. The Concacaf series aims to give teams eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying the opportunity to remain engaged during FIFA international windows.
The national team ain’t ready yet. They need to take lessons from Curacao which is smaller than St Lucia and who is now going to the world cup. Curacao is not even a fully self-determined country and yet they are playing in a world cup — Look at Haiti, they also did well. We need to change the regime that is running football on the island. These men are inept and incompetent. They do not care about the national team. How can St Lucia keep losing like that? Please tell me- That is so painful to note.
Let’s hope they can put a proper team together for the next world cup in 2030 that can qualify, St Lucia can qualify and should qualify– Afterall We have a world cup winner in cricket — Darren Sammy should perhaps take over the football team and show them how it is done… Common now let’s qualify for 2030– Let us start now to get there.
Mikey James, I couldn’t agree more with your statement. Over the years I have watched St Lucian football sink very low. I remember between 1978 to 1982 St Lucia’s football was on a high with some big names like John Browne, Abra Edwards,Fairest,Bock,I-Maker, Michael Bobb the list goes on and on. These men were passionate about the game and played exciting and entertaining football. I watched a game between Central Castries and Vieux Fort back in the early 80s and it was one of the most exciting matches that I have ever watched. Castries was leading Vieux Fort 3-1 only for Vieux Fort to come back and draw the game 3-3. St Lucia played and won the Popham cup. Abra Edwards played a pivotal role in helping St Lucia win.
Back then St Lucia could have played in the World Cup as the quality of players were good. Teams like Soufriere, Vieux Fort, Canaries Central Castries, La Clery carried the fort for the island’s football. They represented well. Where has it gone wrong? Why isn’t St Lucia pursuing its dream of playing in a World Cup finals? Something ain’t right and it starts at the FA. These men and women at the FA are not motivated to do anything to help boost the island’s ranking and standing in international football.
I remember when FIFA former president Sepp Blatter visited St Lucia in the mid 80s..The FA was so inactive back then and mainly concentrated on domestic football and not the national team.
I would like to see St Lucia play in a World Cup. They can do it and if it means removing the indolent FA and employing a new regime then so be it. Curacao have done well and it was all to do with passion and gutso. They were determined to get there and they are there now. Haiti is also carrying the Caribbean flag and hopefully Jamaica in the playoffs. Let us start building the team for 2030. Let us visit the European teams and seek players of Lucian heritage from there. Something has to be done.
I am advising the people running the Lucian FA to get off their behinds and do something for the national team. Let start to build the team now for World Cup 2030. The journey begins now. Let’s do it.
So they should be when they don’t play well – The Lucian FA is bloody useless- The people in there could not run a bath far less a football administration. The whole FA should resign and they should be doing so with immediate effect. St Lucia needs people who will help push the national team forward not persons with an axe to grind. The current regime is out of touch and out of date– Replace them now. I too would like to see my country in the next World cup in 2030— It starts now and we need to build quick…. Viva St Lucia!
Whatever happened to men like Fairest, Abra, Bob, Low She,Bock, Duboulay, Bage, Jaws etc. Where are these great Lucian footballers?I remember teams like Leslie Land, Baccara, VSADC,CYO Marchand- Those were the days of good solid exciting football in Castries.