Football U20: Bermuda Defeat St Kitts 7-0

The Bermuda’s Under 20 women’s national football team opened their Caribbean Football Union U20 World Cup Qualifiers campaign with a massive win, defeating St. Kitts and Nevis 7-0.

Bermuda’s starting line-up was Micah Pond, Kali Lespere, Deshae Darrell, Teyah Lindo, Eva Frazzoni, Aaliyah Nolan, Zahra Gibbons, Leah Smith, Marley Christian, Zakiyah Durham, and K’Shaela Burch; while the substitutes were Sideya Dill, Taznae Fubler, Victoria Davis, Tia Sampson, Ember Butterfield, Danielle Foote, and Symira Lowe.

Bermuda kicked the game off at the Panamericano Stadium in San Cristobal at a high tempo, in the 3rd minute Darrell outpaced her defender after being sent through by Lindo and she unleashed a fantastic shot that went over the keepers head and into the back of the net giving Bermuda the 1 – 0 lead.

Seven minutes later Lespere played a defense splitting pass to Nolan on the left and Nolan out muscled and outpaced her defender and calmly placed the ball far post making it 2 – 0.

Three minutes later it was 3 – 0 as Darrell raced past her defender and was brought down inside the box, and it was Nolan who stepped up to take the penalty. It was a well struck penalty and although the keeper got her hands to it was too much handle.

In the 25th minute it was Lindo who found Nolan on the left who raced pass her defender and squared the ball for Frazzoni to fire past the St Kitts keeper making it 4 – 0 to Bermuda.

By now Bermuda was completely in control of the game, but the St Kitts team never let up and in the 26th minute their captain Leranja Wilkenson struck the ball from all of 30 yards and Pond brilliantly tipped it on to her crossbar.

As a result Durham picked up the ball and played it to Gibbons who played it to Lespere who immediately played it forward for Darrell who was in an offside position, however she did not go for the ball and Frazzoni continued her run and calmly slotted the ball pass the oncoming keeper.

There was some confusion for the St Kitts players as the referee assistant had raised her flag for offside but Darrell never attempted to go for the ball and Frazzoni was clearly on side, Bermuda went to the break leading 5 – 0.

The second half started much slower, with the heat was getting to the players. However in the 55th minute Nolan was put through on goal by Lindo and she perfectly placed the ball beyond the goalkeeper completing her hat-trick making the score 6 – 0.

Nolan would round off the scoring in the 70th when she intercepted a goal kick and dribbled straight at the goal before unleashing her most powerful shot of the day making the final score 7 – 0.

Bermuda head Coach Naquita Robinson said, “The girls played extremely well despite the heat. We had water breaks halfway through each half for 1 minute. The girls showed their intent during the warm up and it was then I knew they were up for it. St Kitts played a very physical game and were at times much stronger than us. However Bermuda was more technical and direct.

“Micah Pond had a phenomenal game and made 3 very crucial saves at important times in the match. We still have a mountain to climb as Dominican are a fast playing team. We will have to get it right against them and the girls are up for the challenge.”

Bermuda will next take on the hosts Dominican Republic on July 30th.

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