Haiti, St Maarten finish group stage with win
MIAMI, Florida (CMC) – Haiti and St Maarten confirmed their promotion status with wins against fellow Caribbean Football Union sides, Bermuda and the United States Virgin Islands, respectively, in the Concacaf Nations League on Tuesday.
But Bonaire narrowly missed out when they were beaten by the Turks & Caicos Islands, and Guyana played to a goalless draw with Montserrat when the group stage drew to a close.
A brace from Frantzdy Pierrot enabled Haiti to bid farewell to League B with a 3-1 win over Bermuda at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
The result meant that Les Grenadiers secured first place in Group B and promotion to League A, but that did not stop the the Concacaf Gold Cup-bound team from continuing their strong scoring form.
Pierrot got them into the swing of things in the 25th minute after a drive down the right flank from Carnejy Antoine led to service inside the box for the prolific Haitian frontman to finish neatly.
Jeppe Simonsen doubled the lead for Haiti one minute later with his second international goal on a pass from Bryan Alceus.
Antoine extended Haiti’s led to three in the first-half stoppage time with a masterful hit from outside the box. It was the 11th international tally for Antoine and first of the year.
Jai Bean earned a consolation item for the Bermudians with a lob over Haitian goalkeeper Josue Duverger from inside the box in the 75th minute.
Jeroen Cox scored a late winner to enable St Maarteen to beat the USVI 2-1 on the road at the Bethlehem Soccer Complex in St Croix to finish top of Group A in League C and earn a promotion to League B and a spot in the preliminary competition for this year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
The first half was a fairly even affair, and each side managed a handful of fair chances, but neither was able to break through and the match remained scoreless at half-time, but the match came alive in the second half and was tied 1-1 with 15 minutes remaining.
With his very first touch, Cox slipped the ball past USVI goalkeeper Lionel Brown to catapult the Dutch side back into the lead and they held on to finish group in first.
League C top scorer Gerwin Lake scores to give St Maarten the lead against the USVI in the Concacaf Nations League on Tuesday at the Bethlehem Soccer Complex in St Croix. The goal was his eighth of the competition. (Concacaf photo)
League C top-scorer Gerwin Lake gave St Maarten the lead with his eighth goal of the tournament in the 58th minute when he blasted the ball into the net from 25 yards out before USVI captain Karson Kendall struck back for the hosts when he knocked in a corner in the 76th minute.
St Maarten topped the group with 11 points and the USVI finished fourth with four points.
Guyana and Montserrat failed to break the deadlock their League B, Group C contest at the Wildey Turf in Barbados.
Guyana were locked into the second place heading into the match, and they were searching for a fourth win to put together their best CNL campaign, and Montserrat was searching for their second victory of the tournament to finish third in the group.