Group A winners Haiti were crowned Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Men's Under-17 champions after they crushed Cuba 5-0 in the final at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, a result football pundits had predicted long before the match was played on Sunday night.
The match-up, the feature game of a double header, followed a third place play-off that provided no surprises, as Jamaica secured the bronze medal with a convincing 3-0 victory over Curacao, the second place team in Group B.
Members of the T&T team which missed out on a qualifying berth by recording just one win in three matches, were left wondering why they were not drawn in Group B.
The Jamaicans who pulled off a hard-fought 3-2 win over the young Soca Warriors a week ago, were ruthless in attack as the prolific Raewin Senior took just 21 minutes before giving his team the advantage.
The Curacao outfit had no answer for the fast-moving Jamaicans which sealed the win and their position in the tournament with a double strike from Nique Daley soon after the break (48th) and in the 70th minutes.
In the main game Steeve Moondestin gave the Haitians the lead in the 36th minute, after the dangerous Steeve Selso Saint- Duc was brought down inside the area. Moondestin sent goalkeeper Danny Echavarria in the Cuba goal the wrong way for the advantage and then loooked on as Saint-Duc broke clear off a weak and slow defence, before slipping the ball under the outstretch body of the custodian in the 55th minute.
During the run of play, Jean Danley gave his team a three-goal cushion when he blasted in a loose ball from outside the penalty area in the 62nd minute. Though the damage had already been done, the Haitians added two more items from Louidon Cassues in the 78th and Nael Elysee, two minutes into time added on.
First Casseus sprung the Cuban off-side trap before calmly slotting the ball past the onrushing goalie for a 4-0 lead and later Elysee chipped the keeper from 30 yards out to complete the rout 5-0 and retain the trophy they won last year.
RESULTS
Haiti- 5 (Steeve Moondestin 36', Steeve Saint-Doc 55', Jean Danley 65', Louidon Cassues 78', Nael Elysee 90' (Haiti) Cuba-0
Jamaica 3 (Raewin Senior 21', Nicque Daley 48', 70') Curacao-0
Roll of Honour
Fair Play Award � Curacao.
Golden Glove Award � Redondo Alliance (Haiti)
Golden Boots Award � Steeve Selso Saint-Duke (Haiti #10)
Most Valuable Player � Steeve Selso Saint-Duke (Haiti #10)
All Star Team:
#1.Redondo Alliance (Goalkeeper,Haiti)
#2.Jolicoeur Jr Etienne (Right Defender, Haiti)
#3. Damani Osei (Left Defender, Jamaica)
#5. Yoel Llorente (Centre Defender, Cuba)
#3. Brismax Clerge (Centre Defender, Haiti)
#8. Carlos Alberto Molina (Centre Midfielder, Cuba)
#16. Daniel Jean Jackes (Centre Midfielder, Haiti)
#10. Brian Savigne (Right Midfielder, Cuba)
#14. Nickque Daley (Left Midfielder, Jamaica)
#9. Raewin Senior (Forward, Jamaica)
#10. Steve Sels Saint-Duc (Forward, Haiti)