U-17s reach finals

Barbados’ Under-17 goalkeeper Keon Harding had a great game in goal, saving a penalty. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)

Sat, August 04, 2012 - 12:03 AM

A hat-trick by Shaquille “Razu” Boyce has given the Barbados Under-17 football team a ticket to the CONCACAF Finals in Panama, next year.

Playing in the final Caribbean Football Union qualifying game, Barbados trounced host country St Kitts 3-1 at the Warner Park Stadium on Thursday night.

The young Bajan Tridents finished atop Group 5 and join fellow group winners Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago in next year’s 12-team CONCACAF Championship finals in Panama from April 16 to 19.

The five Caribbean qualifiers join hosts Panama and automatic North American qualifiers Canada, Mexico and the United States in the finals, leaving only three Central American berths undecided.

Boyce was on target from as early as the fifth minute and added his second in the 56th before sealing the issue with an injury time (90+3 minutes) goal.

Multi-talented goalkeeper Keon Harding had a great game between the uprights, saving a second-half penalty, but was beaten when St Kitts scored in the 76th minute.

Captain Ramar Millar, Ranaldo Bailey and Andre Blackman also stood out for the Kenville Layne-coached and Dave Small-managed Barbados side which thrashed United States Virgin Islands 4-1 in their first game on Tuesday.

Barbados also beat the United States Virgin Islands, getting a pair of second-half goals from Shakille Belle in a 4-1 victory on Tuesday.

Should Barbados finish among the top four teams from CONCACAF, they would advance to the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Finals in October. (EZS)