Sunset women’s football club secured their second Cayman Islands Football Association trophy for the 2023-24 season and, with the FA Cup tournament ongoing, they are seeking a third title.
Sunset played their final league match on Sunday, 5 May, defeating Fusion FC 3-0. Following the match, the team was presented with the league cup and showered with Champagne in celebration.
However, Sunset had already clinched the league title the week before by emphatically dethroning defending champions Elite SC 4-1.
It was the second time for the season that Sunset beat Elite for a major title – the first was the CIFA President’s Cup in February, which Sunset won 2-0 against the 2022-23 President’s Cup winners.
Gisela Gamba, head coach for Sunset, told the Compass following Sunday’s game that she was pleased with her determined young squad winning the league but said there is still more to accomplish.
“We worked really hard to develop the team and now you are seeing the results,” Gamba said. “I think they deserve this league win because they really worked hard for it.
“We are going for the FA Cup too… I think we can definitely do it but you know how football is – first you need to win the games, no matter how good you are.”
Sunset is set to face Academy SC, in a CIFA Women’s FA Cup semi-final showcase on 19 May.
However, while building a silverware collection is proof of the team’s accomplishments, Gamba said the greatest achievement is making better people for society, not just competitive football.
“At the end of the day, you can win trophies, but you really want to develop the player and the person. That’s more important for me, because trophies get dusty.”
Sunset team captain Kinsey Joiner echoed her coach’s sentiments, noting that the team – which features mostly under-18 players – has grown since the start of the season.
“If it’s a practice or a game, the girls are always showing up and when it gets tough, we stay positive,” Joiner told the Compass. “They have shown tremendous growth, even the girls who didn’t get a lot of playing time because they are younger, they are still here… giving it their all.”
Joiner gave props to her coaches, Gamba and Alan Purvis, noting that they have both inspired the team.
Now with the President’s Cup and the league won, Sunset will focus on training for their upcoming FA Cup fixture.
Sunset finished the league with 28 points, with nine wins and one draw. They also finished as the best offensive side with 31 goals, in addition to boasting the stingiest defence, conceding just four goals in 10 games.
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