August 23, 2026, Georgetown - Guyana’s Under-14 Boys have been crowned the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Tier II Champions, completing an outstanding campaign at the CFU U14 Challenge Series in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with a well-deserved victory over Suriname in the final.
The Guyanese boys secured the championship following an intense penalty shootout after the teams played to a 1–1 scoreline in regulation time, with Dane Vancooten finding the equaliser in the 45th minute to keep Guyana in contention. Guyana held their composure under pressure to prevail 4–2 on penalties, with Wayshawn Forde, Adiel Hamilton, Dane Vancooten and Aaron Vasconcellos converting from the spot to secure the Tier II title and cap an impressive tournament run.
Guyana entered the final on the back of a dominant group-stage campaign, recording three consecutive victories. The team opened the competition with an emphatic 8–1 victory over Montserrat, before following up with a 4–1 win over Anguilla. Guyana then completed the group stage with a narrow but important 1–0 victory over The Bahamas, with Wayshawn Forde scoring the decisive goal in the 65th minute of the game.
The three victories saw Guyana finish at the top of Tier II, Group C, with a perfect nine points from three matches, while scoring 13 goals and conceding just two.
The momentum continued into the semi-final, where Guyana faced Saint Martin. After a closely contested encounter ended 2–2 in regulation time, the Guyanese side once again demonstrated composure from the penalty spot, advancing to the final with a 4–2 victory in the shootout.
In the championship decider against Suriname, Guyana once again found themselves in a tense battle that required penalties to determine the winner. With the score locked at 1–1 after regulation time, the young Golden Jaguars held their nerve in the shootout to secure a 4–2 penalty victory and claim the CFU Tier II championship.
Adding to Guyana’s success, goalkeeper Royston Winter received two major individual honours, being named Best Goalkeeper and Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Tier II competition. Winter’s performances throughout the tournament, including his crucial contributions during the penalty shootouts, were instrumental to Guyana’s successful campaign.
The championship also reflects the continued development of Guyana’s youth football programme, with the Under-14 Boys demonstrating resilience, discipline and composure throughout the competition.
The Guyana Football Federation congratulates the players, coaching staff and entire delegation on their outstanding achievement and for proudly representing Guyana on the regional stage.
Guyana are CFU Tier II Champions!
