Tevin Slater boots Vincy Heat to US battle

The next phase of major engagement for the senior national men’s football team, Vincy Heat, in the CONCACAF fourth round group stage of the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, is a meeting with the USA.

Placed in Group C, St Vincent and the Grenadines will also meet Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala.{{more}}

Whilst St Vincent and the Grenadines has pitted its skills against Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala before, it will be the first outing with the USA.

The Vincentians’ date with the Americans is November 13, at the Busch Stadium, St Louis, Missouri (USA), and four days later, they will pack punches against Guatemala here in SVG at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Action for Vincy Heat then resumes on March 25, 2016, with a meeting here with Trinidad and Tobago and the reverse fixture on March 29 in Port of Spain.

The final round of the group takes place on September 2, 2016, when St Vincent and the Grenadines will host the USA; this is to be followed by an away match against Guatemala on September 6.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ advancement to the group stage, 3-2 on aggregate, was nerve-wracking, as they had to overcome a determined Aruba, their third round opponent.

After carrying a two-nil advantage to Oranjestad, Vincy Heat last Tuesday, September 8, was behind as early as the fourth minute when Erik Danso took advantage of some slack play in the Vincentian defence, to beat Winslow McDowall in the SVG goal. Five minutes after half-time, Danso made it 2-0 and the tie level, when he found the back of the net – much to the delight of his team-mates and the home fans.

With SVG on the back foot and extra time looming, Tevin Slater came to his team’s rescue in the 84th minute, when he outran the defence and chipped the ball over an advancing Erik Abdul into the Aruba goal to spark wild celebration among his team.

This was Slater’s fifth goal in the competition, as he has been on the score sheet in all four matches thus far, making him the leading goal scorer.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, president of the SVG Football Federation Venold Coombs expressed his delight in Vincy Heat’s progress thus far, and is expecting them to advance even further within the competition.

“I feel great because it will be advancing football in our country and also the sub-region… It will be an inspiration for those in other categories… Our Under-20 females are advancing also! They are going to Haiti in October. It shows that football is on the up in our country.”

Coombs also pointed out that SVG took part in multiple competitions over the past year, winning the Windwards’ male and female competitions recently, and participation in Under-23 events.

“We are on the move!” Coombs boasted.

Coombs also explained that the SVGFF has enabled much development within the various local football teams by providing coaches and training.

“We have strengthened football in terms of revenue. I was able to source a record amount of money to buy administrative building, to look for a home for football. It’s several million dollars I have there already negotiated for those things.” (RT, JSV, GP)