From Guyana Chronicle Online

Golden Jaguars fall 2-0 to St Lucia

GUYANA’S Golden Jaguars suffered their first loss in the 2014 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Cup football tournament, following a 2-0 defeat to St Lucia, when the two sides met at Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis, yesterday.

The Jaguars, coming off a dramatic 0-0 draw against Dominica in their first game of the competition, were optimistic of defeating the men from the Windwards Islands but Burton Emanuel’s header in the 15th minute put coach Denzil Thompson’s buoyant thoughts in doubt.

Jamal Joseph then scored on a counterattack in the 84th minute to ensure that St Lucia pick up the win and exact revenge for their 2012 Caribbean Cup loss suffered at the hands of the Guyanese.

According to reports reaching Chronicle Sport, Guyana’s Delroy Fraser was persistent in his attempt to score and equalise the game for the Golden Jaguars but his most potent attempt only found the side of the net.

As the two sides approached the end of the first half, nothing much had changed in the game with St Lucia looking comfortable while Guyana kept up the pressure.

The Guyanese kept on pressing the St Lucians but really did not trouble the sturdy St Lucian defence, having some difficulty in completing their passes.

A bit of miscommunication with the St Lucia goalkeeper and defender ended up being a chance for Guyana after the defender left the ball for the goalie to collect, but he left his line late and was beaten to the ball by Fraser whose shot trickled inches wide of the goal and along with it was the Jaguars’ best chance of equalising.

Being down a goal and with regulation time approaching, the Guyanese kept forcing the game; a tactic which left the defence vulnerable and St Lucia took full advantage just six minutes before the end of the game through Jamal Joseph.

The former Thackley F.C (England) striker’s goal was enough to give his country the much-needed points after drawing their first game of the tournament with St Kitts and Nevis.

A double from Vurlon Mills and a goal from Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson saw Guyana defeat St Lucia 3-0 the last time the two countries met in the 2012 Caribbean Cup tournament.

Guyana will now face St Kitts and Nevis tomorrow to close off their participation in the group and hopefully not the tournament, since only two teams will advance to the next round.

For more on this story go to: http://guyanachronicle.com/cfu-caribbean-cup/