The 2009 Blackheart/Kashif and Shanghai Knockout Football Champions Mabouya Valley with officials and sponsor following their 2-1 win over Soufriere.

From the beginning our plan was to come here and treat every game as a final, treat our opponents with respect and play our normal football. We achieved that.” Mabouya Valley Manager, Brenton Edward, made sure his team lived and died by his words. By doing so they were rewarded big time.
On Sunday, with well over 5,000 rabid fans at George Odlum Stadium, Mabouya Valley defeated Soufriere 2-1 to capture their second Blackheart/Kashif and Shanghai Knockout Football Tournament.
In an earlier encounter, Gros Islet won the third place playoff in familiar low scoring in an unassuming fashion. They defeated Micoud 1-0.
In the final, Soufriere opened the scoring in the 6th minute when veteran former national player, Augustus “Fada” Lucien, moved passed the Mabouya offside trap to beat Mabouya Valley goalkeeper Pessius Polius.
Soufriere was the better team early in the encounter but Mabouya Valley fought back and equalized in the 39th minute. That’s when MC Elva Sandiford got away from two defenders and picked his spot with a powerful left booter that got past Soufriere goalkeeper Miguel Victorine.
Mabouya Valley went ahead in the 49th minute when a low, hard cross from the left wing was easily tapped in by Leyton Sandiford. That goal proved to be the winner in a closely fought contest.
In an interview following the game, Mabouya Valley Manager, Brenton Edward, decked out in a fancy black suit, was confident his team would rebound from a one goal deficit.
“I believed if we kept pressing the Soufriere team we would eventually get a goal,” said Edward. “We stuck to our task although there were incidents where we really lost our ship but we kept on pressing. It was a culmination of hard work and dedication.”
For Soufriere Captain, Nehemiah St Jean, it was a case of too many blown opportunities. “I think we were the better team throughout the whole game,” he said. “We had a couple of clear cut chances we should have taken full advantage of. We could have gone up 2-0 and if we did I believe the game would have been sealed and over.”
For their victory, Mabouya Valley took home a cool $15,000 in cash, the IGY Rodney Bay Marina Trophy and 25 replica trophies. Soufriere received $7,500, the Guinness Trophy and 25 silver medals. For their third place finish, Gros Islet pocketed $3,000, the Lime Trophy and 25 bronze medals. Fourth place Micoud received $1,500 and the Trophy Centre Trophy.
Following the final, the following awards were presented: Most Outstanding Young Player, Zane Pierre (Dennery); Best Manager, Brenton Edward (Mabouya Valley); MVP Semi final One, Miguel Victorine; MVP Semi final Two, Hanif Dolor; Best Coach, Valencious Joseph (Mabouya Valley); Fastest Goal Scored (three minutes), a three way tie between Nayime Gilbert (Dennery), Jason Alexander (Soufriere) and Phillip Tison (Canaries); Best Dressed Team, Dennery; Most Spectacular Goal, Mc Lloyd Leonce (South Castries); Best Goalkeeper, Pessius Polius (Mabouya Valley); Best Midfielder, Zaccheus Polius (Mabouya Valley).

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