THE country's under 11 football team, who are participating in the annual seven-a-side Helsinki Cup in Finland, are in with a very good chance of returning home with a medal after making it to the cross-knockout stage of the competition.

The 10 young and aspiring footballers, who left for the Scandinavian country last Friday July 4, have won four of their five group matches.

The boys of coach Patrick Cafrine, who fell 1-2 in their first match against group winners HPS Valkoinen, remained unbeaten in their other four games. They first tasted victory against FC Kontu Lazio on a 6-0 score before beating PK 35-Real-Punainen 2-1, HJK-Töölö 3-2 and Atlantis Dynamo 13-0.

The four wins and a total of 25 goals scored, the bulk coming from the big win over Atlantis Dynamo, helped Seychelles to second place in the group with 12 points, three less than HPS Valkoinen who remained unbeaten in five matches.

HPS Valkoinen beat Seychelles 2-1, PK 35-Real-Punainen 3-0, FC Kontu Lazio 7-0, HJK-Töölö 8-0 and Atlantis Dynamo 3-0.

PK 35-Real-Punainen collected three wins to finish third with nine points, FC Kontu Lazio were fourth with six points after two victories, while HJK-Töölö and Atlantis Dynamo, who remained winless after playing five times, took fifth and sixth places with a point apiece.

It is to note that the young Seychellois players' trip to Finland was made possible thanks to a 15,000 Euros grant by the government of Finland to the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF).

The 10 players representing Seychelles in the Helsinki Cup are Yannick Arrisol, Guiseppe Chetty, Ricky Dorothé, Mike Dingwall, Ryan Dugasse, Basil Bertin, Charles Antoine, Neddy Rachel, Lenny Alcindor and Liandro Esther.

The delegation, headed by Ms Paule Belle, a representative of the local football governing body, is expected back home on July 15.