Grenada snatches inaugural CPLS Cup

After trouncing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 3-0, in a highly-controversial semi-final duel two Sundays ago, Grenada on Sunday beat Nigeria on penalty kicks, 5-4, to snatch the inaugural Brooklyn-based Caribbean Premier League Soccer (CPLS) Championship Cup at the Old Boys and Girls High School Grounds on Maple Street in Brooklyn.

In the rain-affected match, both teams were locked 0-0 in regulation time, but Grenada romped to victory after Grenadian goal keeper Josh Charles staved off a Nigerian conversion.

Charles was awarded best goal keeper and MVP in the championship, while his teammate, Clive Murray, was awarded the Golden Boot of the tournament, with 11 goals.

Nigerian Dominique, no last name given, was awarded Best Defender.

“Besides the joy, the fanfare, it was a lot of hard work,” Grenada’s Head Coach Alidas “Ali” Peters told Caribbean Life in a post-game interview. “The team decided that we unite as one Grenada team. That was the biggest thing for me.

“I knew that, talent-wise, we could do it,” added Peters, who had played for Team Grenada in the 1990s in the now-defunct Caribbean Soccer Cup at the same venue.

Peters, who was also named Coach of the Tournament, said it was “a great accomplishment that people just recognize the work I do.

“I’m very appreciative of that,” he said.

Raymond Alleyne, captain of Team Grenada, said the championship was “great” for his team.

“The season was a great one,” said Alleyne, who played for the Grenada National Soccer Team from 2015-17. “We had ups and downs with injuries and players coming and going, but we rallied together and came out victorious.

“I knew we had the quality to win; it was just a matter of could we deliver on the day,” added the center back. “I give thanks to friends, family and supporters. They came out – whether rain or not – and I hope they’ll continue to support us.”

Earlier on Sunday, in the rain-hit match, for the third spot in the championship, Guyana swamped St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 4-0.

Dunstan “Miller” Gilbert, CPLS’ Grenadian-born public relations officer, said he was pleased with the tournament overall.

“It was a wonderful competition,” he said. “Everything went well.

“We had little ups and downs, but everything went well,” he stressed.

“Thanks for all the fans, all the media,” Gilbert added. “Will all the rain on the last day of the competition, the fans still came out.

“We’re looking forward to next year,” he continued. “Maybe, we’ll get more teams.”