Haiti defender Jems Geffrard (6) and Canada forward Lucas Cavallini (19) pull on each other as they chase the ball
during the second half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer quarterfi nal Saturday, June 29, 2019, in Houston. Associated
Players to watch in CONCACAF WCQ
Caribbean L 38 ife, MAR. 26-APR. 1, 2021
CARIFTA
By Azad Ali
The 2021 CARIFTA Games will
now be staged in August. The regional
junior track and field championships
were originally scheduled for the
Easter weekend in Bermuda, but were
postponed because of the challenges of
COVID-19.
The meeting was rescheduled to the
first weekend in July, but has now been
pushed back to Aug. 13-15 because
of the Caribbean Examination Council
(CXC) exams.
The 2021 CARIFTA Games will conclude
just two days before the start of
the World Athletics Under-20 Championship
in Nairobi, Kenya.
Award
Continued from Page 37
Alongside Ebony Rainford-Brent, a
nominee in the same category, Holding
delivered an emotional and impassioned
plea for an end to institutionalized
racism through meaningful
change in society as the pair reacted to
the death of Floyd in police custody in
Minnesota.
In his acceptance speech, delivered
via video at the awards ceremony hosted
online due to COVID-19, Holding
said: “It is something that has been in
me and in my head for many, many
years. People do not understand what
is like to go through life and always
thinking that people think less of you
than what you think of yourself. It can
be a little bit tiring and when I got the
opportunity it just came spilling out.”
of the Antiguan and Barbudan people.
We look forwards, also that in the
future, continued relationship. Thank
you very much Prime Minister Modi
and the High Commission of India. We
also thank all the people in India for
such a kind gesture.”
Former West Indies captain also
thanked PM Modi for his kind generosity
in offering Antigua and Barbuda
40,000 vaccines.
Another former West Indies Captain,
Adams, who is currently working with
Cricket West Indies (CWI), thanked the
government of India for the vaccine
donation that was given to the people
of Jamaica.
Former West Indies batsman, Sarwan
also thanked PM Modi for giving
Guyana 80,000 doses of the Made-in-
India COVID-19 vaccines under the
“Vaccine Maitri” program. Jamaica,
Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and
Nevis also received the vaccines under
the same initiative.
few yards out.
“Jerome’s counterpart at the other
end, Pantemis, was just as good early
on in the second half with a block on
a header from Haiti MF (mid-fielder)
Dutherson Clerveaux,” it added.
“Things began to open up and in
the span of a minute, each side had a
gilt-edged chance to score,” continued
CONCACAF, stating that, first, “it was
Buchanan heading right into the hands
of Jerome, before Haiti MF Eliader Dorlus
fired a right-footed shot that sailed
just wide.”
Dorlus then got another “good crack
at goal with a hard hit from distance
that Pantemis parried out for a corner
kick,” CONCACAF said.
It said Haiti’s attack was building
steam and a reaction left-handed save
from Pantemis prevented Clerveaux
from breaking the deadlock.
The final chance fell for Canada in
second half stoppage time, but Jerome’s
kick-save on a Buchanan effort “capped
a day in which the two shot-stoppers
stood tallest,” CONCACAF said.
It said Canada was expected to close
out the group on Thursday against
Honduras, while Haiti faced off against
El Salvador.
Press/Michael Wyke, fi le
Continued from Page 37
Continued from Page 37
CANADA-HAITI DRAW MATCH
Cricket legends
By Nelson A. King
As the First Round of CONCACAF
World Cup Qualifying for Qatar (WCQ)
2022 kicked off on Wednesday with 29
teams in search of a first-place finish
in their respective group and a berth
in the Second Round, there are key
players from Suriname, the British Virgin
Islands, Belize and the Dominican
Republic to watch.
CONCACAF said many of the young
talents who shined during the 2019-20
CONCACAF Nations League (CNL) will
be back in action in CONCACAF WCQ.
CONCACAF on Wednesday gave a
synapsis of some of the players from
Suriname, the British Virgin Islands
(BVI), Belize and the Dominican Republic,
among others, to keep a keen eye on
in their respective groups.
In Group B, CONCACAF said Suriname’s
Gleofilo Vlijter is “one of the
most exciting attacking prospects in
the CONCACAF region today.”
The 21-year-old forward currently
plies his trade with Beitar Jerusalem
in Israel, but has made his name in the
international arena with Suriname.
“Simply put, Vlijter was spectacular
during the CNL, pouring in 10 goals
in six matches to lead all players in all
leagues,” CONCACAF said.
It said Vlijter scored four goals in
Suriname’s 6-0 win over Nicaragua and
bagged braces in both wins over Dominica
(4-0, 2-1) and in the 2-2 draw with
St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Suriname enters CONCACAF WCQ
with a squad full of players from
European leagues, with Vlijter serving
as one of the headliners, CONCACAF
said.
In Group C, CONCACAF said the BVI
is one of the teams that have benefitted
tremendously from the CNL, adding
that one of the players to emerge
from that process is 18-year-old forward
Tyler Forbes.
“At the age of 17, Forbes became one
of the youngest players ever at the international
level to record a brace in an
official match when he scored twice in
BVI’s 4-2 loss to Bonaire to open their
group in League C,” CONCACAF said.
“Forbes would finish the CNL with
three goals to lead his team and tied
for fifth for the most goals scored in
League C,” it added. “Now Forbes and
BVI will look for more success in Group
C of CONCACAF WCQ.”
In Group E, CONCACAF said: “For
years, Deon McCaulay has been the
man to lead Belize forward in the international
arena, but now that task is
starting to fall to (Krisean) Lopez.”
It said the 22-year-old FW delivered
“clutch performances in both CNL
Qualifying and in League B of the
CNL.”