Ty’Rique Charles was the star of the show as his brilliant hat-trick propelled the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to a 3-1 victory over the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) in the 2024 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Boys’ Under 14 Challenge Series.
The match, held at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, marked BVI’s first win in the tournament’s Tier II Group B.
Despite the USVI dominating the early stages of the game, they were unable to convert their control into goals. BVI capitalized on this in the 24th minute when Myles Penn delivered a precise pass behind the USVI defence. Charles, displaying impressive speed and composure, raced past the defenders and delicately lobbed the ball over USVI goalkeeper Jahmakye Liverpool to give BVI a 1-0 lead.
The USVI continued to press forward and were finally rewarded early in the second half. In the 45th minute, Harrison Oriol pierced the BVI’s defence and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that found the back of the net, levelling the score at 1-1.
However, the USVI’s joy was short-lived. Just four minutes after their equalizer, Charles once again took advantage of a defensive lapse. Pouncing on a loose ball caused by indecision in the USVI defence, he sprinted clear and calmly slotted past the newly introduced goalkeeper Ezequiel Rawlins, restoring BVI’s lead at 2-1.
Charles completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute with a moment of individual brilliance. With his back to goal, he turned sharply and curled a superb right-footed shot into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance and securing the 3-1 victory for BVI.
This win not only boosts BVI’s confidence but also sets the stage for their next match against Anguilla, scheduled for today at 4:00 p.m.