Photo: Champions of the U20 Male Elite League Stann Creek U20
BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 31, 2023
Culminating 13 weeks of football competition in the Football Federation of Belize’s (FFB) U20 National Male Elite League 2023 football tournament, the 3rd place and championship games were played at the FFB Stadium on Saturday, May 27, where Cayo clinched 3rd place over Mid-South, and Stann Creek prevailed over Belmopan to take the championship.
In the 3rd place opener at 4:00 p.m., it was tied 3-3 in regulation, thus forcing overtime. Mid-South led 3-2 after ninety minutes, with goals from Lavaughn Cabral (6’ & 29’) and Levan Cabral (44’), while Alvin Diaz (14’) and Martin Humes (49’) had tallied for Cayo; but an injury time goal by Shamar Flowers (90+3’) knotted the score for Cayo. And in the overtime period, it was all Cayo, with goals coming from Alvin Diaz (105’), Jermaine Westby (113’) and Kevon Guerra (114’) to secure the 6-3 victory and 3rd place in the tournament.
The championship game which followed at 6:00 p.m. was never in doubt, however, as Stann Creek jumped to an early lead and ended with a 3-nil shutout over Belmopan, with all goals for Stann Creek coming from Leopoldo Vasquez (3’, 13’ & 37’).
In the awards ceremony following the match, three individual award trophies were issued, to Carlos Palacio – Best Goalkeeper; Daijon Daniels – Top Scorer; and Leopoldo Vasquez – MVP.