GUYANA’S Under-14 Boys’ national football team has officially been crowned the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Tier II Champions following a hard-fought victory over Suriname in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
After playing to a 1-1 draw in regulation time—where Dane Vancooten delivered a crucial equaliser in the 45th minute—the young squad held their nerve to win 4-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Spot-kick conversions from Wayshawn Forde, Adiel Hamilton, Dane Vancooten, and Aaron Vasconcellos sealed the title win to cap an extraordinary tournament run.
The championship victory was built on momentum from an undefeated group-stage campaign in Group C, where Guyana finished top of the table with a perfect nine points, scoring 13 goals while conceding only twice.
They opened the competition with a dominant 8-1 win against Montserrat, followed by a 4-1 victory over Anguilla, and secured the group with a 1-0 win against The Bahamas, courtesy of a 65th-minute strike by Wayshawn Forde.
In the semi-finals, Guyana battled Saint Martin to a 2-2 draw in regulation before demonstrating the same composure from the penalty spot to advance 4-2 in the shootout.
Guyana’s impressive overall performance was bolstered by standout goalkeeper Royston Winter, who earned both the Best Goalkeeper and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards for Tier II.
His heroics between the posts, particularly during the penalty shootouts, proved vital to the team’s triumph.
Showcasing remarkable discipline, skill, and resilience throughout the series, the team’s success highlights the growth of Guyana’s youth football programme, earning warm congratulations from the Guyana Football Federation for their outstanding regional achievement.
