… Guyana to host Antigua and Barbuda on Monday

ANTIGUA and Barbuda edged Guyana 2-1 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last evening, to secure their second win in the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League.

It was a crucial three points secured by the Benna Boys, as Golden Jaguars slumped to their second consecutive defeat, following their 4-0 drubbing by the ‘Reggae Boyz’.
Coach Marcio Maximo surprised everyone when he left Sheldon Holder out of the line-up, and opted to start with Trayon Bobb, who hasn’t touched a pitch locally and for the national side, since Guyana’s qualification tournament for the Gold Cup earlier this year.
Nonetheless, along with Bobb, Maximo started with Akel Clarke in goal, skipper Samuel Cox, Kevin Layne, Matthew Briggs, Kadell Daniel, Elliot Bonds, Neil Danns, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Clive Nobrega, and Emery Welshman.

Golden Jaguars seemed shaky in the opening minutes of their first game against Antigua and Barbuda since their November 29, 2010 1-0 defeat, as the Benna Boys pressed forward with relentless attack.

The Antiguans looked to threaten on almost every possession, and went on to score two goals in two minutes through Quinton Griffith (15th) and Junior Benjamin (17th), as the home side sat on a 2-0 cushion throughout the first half.

However, Golden Jaguars came out hungry in the second stanza and five minutes into play, Danns slipped a ball through to Welshman, and the forward, who plays with Hapoel Haifa FC in the Israeli Premier League, calmly put his effort past Molvin Jones in goal.
It was redemption for Welshman, who had a clear-cut chance in the second half to score, but, as they say in Guyana, he ‘bubble’ on the attempt.

Sheldon Holder, who scored Guyana’s lone goal in the Nations League so far, came on late in the half, replacing Trayon Bobb, and made an immediate impact on the game.
Guyana’s unyielding push for another goal didn’t materialise and Benna Boys held on for the win which puts them on six points and second place in Group C of League B behind Jamaica.

The Golden Jaguars will return home tomorrow evening and will host Antigua and Barbuda on Monday at the National Track and Field Centre, in a must-win affair.