The second round of the USVI Soccer Federation’s President’s Cup delivered action-packed matchups on both islands Sunday, with Helenites SC and New Vibes SC securing convincing wins to move one step closer to the title.
At the Bethlehem Soccer Complex on St. Croix, Helenites SC took the field against Prankton SC and quickly found themselves playing catch-up. Prankton’s Devin Etienne stunned the crowd with an early strike in the 8th minute, giving his team a 1-0 advantage and sparking momentum for the underdogs.
The lead did not last long, however, as Helenites striker Ahmad Yusuf leveled the score in the 13th minute. The rest of the first half was quiet as both teams dug in defensively, refusing to concede any chance to score.
Yellow cards were issued to both sides early in the second half, a sign of rising tension as the game intensified. In the 66th minute, Helenites’ Mackean St. Croix broke through Prankton’s backline to give Helenites their first lead of the afternoon. The momentum only grew from there. Wodlin Basquin extended the margin to 3-1 in the 83rd minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse with a clean finish. Just five minutes later, Calvin Medcalfe scored a penalty kick to seal a dominant 4-1 victory.
At Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on St. Thomas, Premier League leaders New Vibes SC maintained their momentum with a gritty 2-0 victory over LRVI FC.
The first half of the highly physical matchup remained scoreless, with tensions running high on both sides. LRVI received three yellow cards throughout the match, while New Vibes picked up six.
After 78 minutes of deadlock, New Vibes’ Lentz Bazelais finally broke through with the opening goal. Valendy Jeudy added a second in the 90th minute, securing a 2-0 shutout victory.
In Round 3 of the President’s Cup, Helenites SC will face Rovers SC at Bethlehem Soccer Complex on St. Croix. New Vibes SC will enjoy a bye week and advance directly to the finals, where they’ll meet the winner of the St. Croix showdown.
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