Guyana beat St Kitts & Nevis 8-0 to end FIFA U-15 World Cup on a high

Guyana ended their campaign at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in emphatic style, thrashing St Kitts and Nevis 8-0 to finish 149th overall in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The result on Friday secured a top-10 ranking among Caribbean nations for the Junior Golden Jaguars at the 189-team global tournament, placing them behind regional leaders Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba.

Across a demanding 10-match schedule against sides from diverse footballing cultures, Guyana recorded four wins, two draws, and four defeats.

Forward Jadan Christian proved a standout in front of goal for the Guyanese youngsters, finding the net six times across four matches before the final-day rout.

Drawn in a challenging Group R, Guyana struggled to find their feet in international tournament football before finding their rhythm.

• Oct 24 – Iran 6-0 Guyana: A tough opening-day defeat against Asian opposition.
• Oct 25 – Guyana 1-1 Mauritius: Jadan Christian struck a 36th-minute equaliser to earn the Junior Golden Jaguars their first point in the opening leg of a Sunday double-header.
• Oct 25 – Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 Guyana: Kijani Drakes found the net in the 30th minute, though the European side proved too strong in the second match of the day.
• Oct 26 – Guyana 3-0 Brunei Darussalam: Guyana claimed their maiden tournament victory thanks to goals from Jashan Haynes (13′), Christian (35′), and Mark Stewart (39′).
• Final Group Game – Vietnam 2-1 Guyana: Christian was on target again in the 15th minute, but the Guyanese boys fell just short in a tight contest to conclude group play.

Following the group phase, Guyana entered the Tier E placement bracket, bouncing back from an early setback to win three of their final four games in regulation time.

• Round of 32 – Gambia 5-1 Guyana: The West African nation handed Guyana a heavy defeat to open the placement round.
• Round of 16 – Guyana 3-1 Dominica: A clinical double from Christian and a goal from captain Nyron Barrow sealed victory over their Caribbean neighbours.
• Placement Match – Guyana 1-1 Guam (4-5 pens): Guyana were edged out on spot-kicks after battling to a stalemate in normal time.
• Placement Match – Guyana 3-2 Belize: Goals from Christian, Malachai Muhammad, and Drakes secured a hard-fought victory over the Central American side.
• Final Placement Match (Oct 30) – Guyana 8-0 St Kitts and Nevis: A dominant attacking display rounded off the tournament on a high note.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde praised the squad’s resilience and conduct in Azerbaijan, calling the outing a vital milestone for the country’s youth setup.

“Our national youth teams are improving steadily and delivering increasingly credible performances on the international stage,” Forde said.

“This was a particularly valuable experience for our U-15 boys, who had the opportunity to test themselves against different playing styles and in a very different football environment. Equally important, our coaching staff were able to experience first-hand the exceptional standards of the game among some of the leading football nations.”

While acknowledging the gap that still exists on the global stage, Forde credited Technical Director Bryan Joseph and the coaching staff for the team’s preparation, pointing to domestic initiatives like the Youth Ensemble Programme and Schools Football as key pillars for the future.

“We are under no illusion about the amount of work that remains, but we are confident that the right programmes and sustained investment will deliver significant benefits in the months and years ahead,” Forde added. “The evidence is encouraging, and I believe we are heading in the right direction.” (Modified Press Release) 

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE