Saturday, October 11; Stade Municipal Rene Serge Nabajoth – Les Abymes, Guadeloupe:  There were goals galore as a gorgeous Guadeloupe gorged on goals against an outclassed Cayman Islands. Group hosts Guadeloupe opened Stage 2 of the Digicel Caribbean Championships with a superb hat-trick from international debutant Michael Antoine-Curier leading the Gwada-Boyz 7 goal demolition of the Carl Brown coached Cayman Islands.

Guadeloupe’s grip on this fixture never waned as goals flowed freely for the francophone outfit. Led by debutant striker Michael Antoine-Curier, who has already scored nine times for Dundee United in the Scottish Premier League, the Guadaloupeens started brightly, and from a corner taken by outstanding winger Codric Collet, Antoine-Curier climbed highest and finished expertly with a header directed to the far corner to open the scoring.

Cayman’s cautious start had them on their heels from the outset, but despite the quick start by Guadeloupe, the Caymanian’s managed to keep them at bay for another thirty minutes, despite continued pressure from the goal thirsty Gwada-Boyz.

Inspired by the bicycle strike from Grenada’s Shane Rennie in the opening fixture, Guadeloupe’s Ludovic Gotin almost one-upped him with a BMX strike of his own that was tipped over the bar by an alert Jermaine Brown. The resultant corner was cleared off the line as Cayman scrambled to remain within touching distance of Guadeloupe.

Gotin would have another opportunity minutes later after a great jinking run from Cedric Collet found Lery Hanany, whose cushioned header was dragged wide by the overly anxious Gotin.

Gotin would make up for it though, as in minute 34 a quick raid along the right flank worked to perfection; with David Fleurival’s through pass to Antoine-Curier squared with precision to Gotin who found the top left corner to take the score to 2-0.   

With the score line now beginning to reflect Guadeloupe’s dominance on the field, fans began to foster hopes of a route and they would see their lead extended before the break. After a slew of untaken chances and good glove work by Cayman, Guadeloupe finally added a third in minute 43. Not surprisingly, it was debutant Antoine-Curier who claimed it after Collet of MONS in Belgium, miscued shot ended up at the feet of a predator, who couldn’t miss from point blank range.

Cayman would offer their only effort of the half in minute 44 when first round standout Calvin Jefford found some space to run with the ball, before opting to shoot at the edge of the D.

The story of the first half was already written, but what mattered now was how it would finish, and fans were given an early indication, when man of the match Antoine-Curier completed his hat-trick 12 minutes after the restart. His Benzemaesque performance was capped off when, following another shot-come-cross from Collet, Antoine-Curier was on-hand again to supply the finish with the goalkeeper again at his mercy. The score now 4-0.

Ten minutes later it was 5-0 as Fleurival’s cross was met with a free header from point blank range for Lery Havany.

Guadeloupe, now in cruise control, started substituting their stars to rapturous applause each time; none more so than Antoine-Curier who delivered a flawless performance in his international debut and must surely be one of the strikers of the tournament so far.

A hat-trick of another kind was also earned by Collet; for his triple assist performance; the wingers control and pace caused Cayman nightmares all evening.

But despite the substitutions, Guadeloupe didn’t take their foot off the gas and continued to punish a lack lustre Cayman. Goal six came in minute 75, when a slalom run from Gotin saw him past three challenges before stabbing the ball through to Gregory Gendrey who completed the move with a sublime curling shot to the top corner and take the score to 6-0.

Seventh heaven was the next destination as Guadeloupe added another in minute 78. A set piece executed to perfection with Ludovic Quatin’s, of Cardiff City in Wales, free-kick from the edge of the box cushioned into the path of Lery Havany who supplied a near post finish from an acute angle. 

With time running out, and Guadeloupe’s appetite for destruction apparently sated, Cayman shocked the stadium to silence. A 32 yards free-kick from substitute Carson Fagan that somehow trickled under the jumping wall and through Marius Fausta in goal registered what would be little more than a consolation goal for Cayman in their 7-1 dismantling. In the end, Guadeloupe’s Gourmet football, proved too rich for Cayman to stomach in Stage 2 of the Digicel Caribbean Championships.

Guadeloupe: 2. Meddy Lina, 4. Fabien Jerome, 5. Cedric Collet (8. Gregory Gendrey min 58),  6. Alain Vertot, 9. Loduic Gotin, 11. Michael Antoine-Curier( Gregory Gendrey min 68), 12. David, Fleurival (10. M Gomez min 73),13. J.Luc Lambourde, 15. Miguel Comminges, 16. Marius Fausta, 17. Lery Hanany

Subs: 1. Frauch Graniel, 3. Ludouis Qatin, 7. Loic Loval, 14. Loic Labuthie, 20. Willy Laurence

Cayman Islands: 1. Jermaine Brown, 3. Phillip Berry, 4. Oneil Taylor, 6. Ian Lindo,(8. Ron Douglas min 77) 7. Calvin Jefford (11. Carson Fagan min 63), 9. Jairo Sanchez, 13. Mario Rene Carter, 14. Gary Whittaker, 16. Gary Dion Brandon (20. Garth Anderson-min 32), 18. Horace Nelson, 19. Leighton Elliot

Subs: 5. Thomas Elliot, 10. Ercksen Brown, 12. Mario Dinnall, 17. Nikolai Hill 

    

Guadeloupe Michael Antoine-Curier– min 5 Ludovic Gotin– min 34 Michael Antoine-Curier– min 43 Michael Antoine-Curier– min 57 David Fleurival– min 67 Gregory Gendrey– min 75 Lery Havany– min 78	7-1	Cayman Islands Carson Fagan– min 86

 

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