A small but vocal crowd were kept on the edge of their seats as St Lucia held off Suriname in a ‘nail-bitter’ 4-3 win to secure three points when Group A of the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship Qualifier got on the way at the National Track and Field Centre.

Tanika Bernard finished the night with a hat-trick, netting in the 28th, 57th and 64th minutes for St Lucia, while Britanya St Prix scored in the 14th minute.

For Suriname, Orethea Riley (22nd, 76th) and Candy Chin-see-Chong (90+7) found the net. The two sides started slow, being patient with touches, but it was St Lucia who looked more comfortable on the ball, especially in their attacking third.

St Prix had troubled the Surinamese defence early in the game but she would break away down the middle to hammer in a beauty past the advancing Suriname keeper. However, less than 10 minutes later, Riley scored her first of two goals (22nd) with a clinical finish to level the scores.

Bernard would make it 2-1 in the 28th minute when she capitalised on a Suriname defensive error. The scores would remain 2-1 at the half and Bernard would net two more goals (57th and 64th) to rest St Lucia in a 4-1 lead. However, just when St Lucia thought it was already in the bag, Riley scored a beautiful header in the 76th and Chin-see-Chong 90+7 minute; a free kick from almost at the centre line handed Suriname some hope.

However, resolute defending from St Lucia kept the Dutch-speaking country from securing a draw.

The CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Qualifiers is being held from July 13-21. Guyana is placed in Group A along with Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and St Lucia. Matches will continue on Monday from 18:00hrs at the same venue.