by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Five goals from Shandel Samuel, including a second half hat-trick, ensured that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) surprisingly qualified for the next round of the 2006 Digicel Caribbean Cup with an 8-0 slaughtering of St. Lucia at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica Sunday night.

St Vincent and the Grenadines' massive victory was enough to eliminate defending champions Jamaica from the tournament, despite the hosts 2-0 win over Haiti in the second game.

Both SVG and the Reggae Boyz started the day on three points and needing a victory to join Haiti in the next round.

Playing first in the double header, SVG signalled their intentions early with three first-half goals, two from Samuel in the 26th and 42nd minute, this after Andrew Douglas opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

After the break, Wesley John quickly made it 4-0 after 52 minutes, before Samuel punched in his hat-trick four minutes later with a spectacularl right footed strike after breaking away from his marker with a clever run from the centre of the field.

Samuel was again on target in the 76th minute, before Renson Haynes hit in the 83rd. However, the crucial goal for SVG came in time added from Samuel, his fifth of the game, which ultimately secured a qualifying spot to the next phase.

SVG deservingly booked their ticket to progress in the tournament after beating the hosts, Jamaica, 2-1 in a match in which the home side totally under estimated the visitors' abilities on Friday.

Despite first half goals from Wilfred Smith and Fabian Dawkins Jamaica needed a greater win and were eliminated from the Caribbean tournament for the first time in five-years.

Not only will the Reggae Boyz take no further part in the 2006 Digicel Caribbean Cup, the 1998 World Cup debutants will not be playing in the Gold Cup tournament either.