GUYANA can now kiss their dreams of qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games goodbye, after falling 0-2 to Antigua and Barbuda yesterday as Group 2 action continued in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifier. The Guyanese had fallen to Cuba with a similar scoreline and were hoping to rebound against the hosts in order to stand a chance of making it out of the group.
After watching Antigua dismantle Aruba 7-1 in their first game, head coach Jamaal Shabazz called the host nation a “formidable opponent” and one which he believes will be a tougher nut to crack than the Cubans.
Elvis Thomas, the 21-year-old forward who plays in Shabazz’s Caledonia AIA in the TT Pro-League, opened the scoring just three minutes into the contest to give his country the lead.
Thomas blasted in his second of the night in the 29th minute and from then the game was out of reach for the Guyanese.
The Antiguan forward’s teammates at Caledonia AIA Trayon Bobb, Domini Garnett and Pernell Schultz tried their best to claw Guyana back into the game and ultimately the tournament, but the resolute defending by the home side thwarted their every move.
Guyana will now play the perennial whipping boys of the group, Aruba, tomorrow, in an attempt to not leave the Island empty-handed.
Meanwhile, Cuba hammered Aruba 11-1 to set up a showdown with Antigua tomorrow to see who will advance to the next round.