SV Transvaal Defeat Devonshire Colts For 1973 Concacaf Crown

By Steven Torres - ANCCIF President   (Posted on  14 May 2026)

In January 1974, a landmark chapter in Caribbean football history was written at the Suriname Stadium in Paramaribo. SV Transvaal emerged victorious in the delayed 1973 Concacaf Champions Cup (then known as Concacaf Champion of Champions), becoming the first club from outside North or Central America to capture the prestigious title.

A Summer of Uncertainty

The tournament began on 1 June, following the conclusion of the Copa Fraternidad. While Central American powerhouses & two-time Copa Fraternidad winner Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica were eager for continental glory, the North American zone faced immediate logistical hurdles. Group 1, which included two Bermudian & Mexican sides each along with three teams from the North American Soccer League (USA’s Dallas Tornado, New York Cosmos & Canada’s Montreal Olympique) & Canadian National Soccer League champion (Toronto Croatia), was originally designed with four ambitious home-and-away series scheduled between 15 May and 15 July:

• Series A: Montreal vs. CD SC Cruz Azul (MEX)

• Series B: Toronto vs. NY Cosmos

• Series C: Dallas vs. Club América (MEX)

• Series D: Devonshire Colts FC (BER) vs. North Village CC (BER)

However, by June, the landscape shifted dramatically. Citing scheduling conflicts with their domestic leagues, all clubs from Canada, Mexico, and the USA withdrew, leaving the Bermudian sides to settle the zone.

The Bermuda Breakthrough

In a high-octane "Bermuda Derby," Devonshire Colts outlasted North Village with a 6:5 aggregate victory. Ellsworth Lambert scored twice and Gary Darrell added a tally to give the Colts a 3:1 win in the 1st leg on 28 June. Two days later, North Village jumped to a 4:0 lead, but Devonshire responded with three goals in the final 14 minutes. Lambert’s 85th-minute penalty secured the aggregate win, making the Colts the first Bermudian club to reach a Concacaf final.

Transvaal’s Road to Glory

While Bermuda battled, Transvaal – the then 12-time Surinamese league champion – asserted dominance in the Caribbean Zone under local coach Humbert Boerleider. They opened against hosts SV SUBT of Netherlands Antilles, winning the first-leg 5:2 behind two Edwin Schal goals on 1 July. In the return leg a week later at home, Schal, Humphrey Castillion, Theo Klein, and Roy Vanenburg secured a 4:1 triumph.

In the following round against CRKSV Jong Colombia of Netherlands Antilles, goals from Castillion and Klein earned a 2:1 home win on 22 July, followed by another 2:1 victory in Willemstad in August with goals from Schal and George Headley. Transvaal then eliminated rookie side Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra of Dominican Republic. Two goals each from Klein and Schal led to an 8:0 rout in the opener on 30 September, while Klein notched a hat-trick (3 goals) in a 6:0 second-leg win four days later.

Saprissa’s Sudden Exit

In Central America, Saprissa seemed destined for the final after eliminating CD Vida of Honduras, Nicaragua’s Deportivo Santa Cecilia, and Costa Rican rivals LD Alajuelense. However, on 15 December, Saprissa withdrew to focus on their domestic league, effectively leaving the title to be decided between Transvaal and Devonshire.

The Final: A Historic Coronation

The final series took place in January 1974 at the Suriname Stadium & Transvaal were under another local coach Jules Lagadeau. Goals from Castillion, Klein, Wensley Bundel, and Schal gave the Surinamese side 4:2 win in the opener on 8 Jan.  Two days later, Transvaal completed the sweep with a 3:1 triumph. Klein, Schal, and Vanenburg provided the goals for the victory that shattered the North and Central American stronghold on the competition. Despite being located geographically in South America, Transvaal proved that the heart of Caribbean football beat just as strongly as the rest of the region.

SV Transvaal Results at 1973 Concacaf Champion of Champions (Champions Cup)

First Round

01.07: SV SUBT (ANT) – Transvaal 2:5

09.07: Transvaal – SV SUBT (ANT) 4:1 

Second Round

22.07: Transvaal - CRKSV Jong Colombia (ANT) 2:1 

17.08: CRKSV Jong Colombia (ANT) - Transvaal 1:2

Third Round

30.09: Transvaal – Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (DOM) 8:0 

03.10: Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (DOM) - Transvaal 0:6

Final

08.01.1974: Transvaal - Devonshire Colts 4:2

10.01.1974: Devonshire Colts - Transvaal 1:3