ABFA celebrates returning boys’ and girls’ youth teams

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua. The Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) on Wednesday welcomed home two youth teams which recently represented Antigua and Barbuda in overseas competitions. The ABFA also signaled the organisation’s intentions to keep both units together. The Boys U-14 Team arrived home in the morning from St. Kitts where they were contesting the inaugural Caribbean Football Union Boys’ U-14 Championship Series. They ended the five-team Group A second to St. Vincent and the Grenadines after losing Sunday’s tiebreaker 4-0 to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In their previous encounters, the team defeated host country St. Kitts and Nevis 2-0 in their opening game, leveled 1-1 with Dominica, and then went on to beat Montserrat 2-1.
The Girls U-15 arrived home hours later, from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fl, where they competed in the Girls’ U-15 CONCACAF Championship. Antigua and Barbuda played in Group D of Division 2 with Bermuda, Barbados and Curacao. The young squad went under 0-3 to Barbados, 4-1 to Bermuda, the eventual Division 2 champs, and 3-2 to Curacao.
President of the ABFA, Everton Gonsalves, and Technical Director, Rolston  Williams, both agreed that the ABFA would work earnestly to keep both youth teams together with an eye towards the future.
President Gonsalves also congratulated the teams and the respective coaches and managers.
“Before we even get to the scoreline, we in the ABFA are extremely proud of our young sports ambassadors, and Antigua and Barbuda should be proud of them too. We had two new teams go forth into the football universe, and they acquitted themselves well. Our girls played with courage and determination against formidable opponents and came home with goals and experience under their belts and the commitment to continue representing their county. Our boys are ready to represent. They displayed a fighting spirit and had an unbeaten run until the tiebreaker,” Gonsalves said.
“The ABFA will announce, in due course, our plans for keeping these young footballers engaged in the national program and the synergies we wish to create with all the football clubs and academies nationwide,” Gonsalves concluded.