… Golden Jaguars roar to 2-1 win against Bermuda

IT was the Omari Glasgow show once again, but this time he had a solid supporting cast, as the Golden Jaguars defeated Bermuda 2-1 to remain unbeaten so far in the 2022-2023 CONCACAF Nations League.

Playing at home in front of a buzzing small crowd, the Golden Jaguars took the victory with goals from their 18-year-old talisman Glasgow. He found the net on the stroke of halftime after Trayon Bobb had given the Jamaal Shabazz side a lead in the 35th minute.

Donte Leverock scored the lone goal in the game for Bermuda in the 42nd minute.

After a 2-1 victory over Montserrat in their opening match, Guyana were looking for a victory at home to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Coach Shabazz made two changes to his starting team that faced Montserrat on Saturday in Santo Domingo.

Den Amstel utility player Leo Lovell replaced former Premier League defender Matthew Briggs, while Queens Park Rangers midfield player Stephen Duke-McKenna came in for Bournemouth midfielder, Nathan Moriah-Welsh.

The other starters remained the same; Quillan Roberts in goal, Quincy Adams, Jalen Jones, Sam Cox, Omari Glasgow, Neil Danns, Daniel Wilson, Torell Ondaan and Trayon Bobb.

Bermuda’s Jonte Smith had the first clear chance on goal in the encounter, hoping to put the visitors up in the eighth minute.

Stephen Duke-McKenna responded for Guyana in the 16th minute and Glasgow, hoping to follow up on a brace in the previous game, also had a good look in the 23rd.

Bobb then found the back of the net for the opening goal with a left-footed finish, following a nicely timed pass from Duke-McKenna, to put Guyana up 1-0. It also turned out to be the fifth CONCACAF Nations League goal for the 28-year-old, who is the top scorer for the Golden Jaguars in the competition’s history.

A 41st-minute free kick provided the opportunity to equalise for Bermuda. While the first attempt was deflected by the Guyanese defence, Dante Leverock scored a spectacular bicycle kick on the second chance opportunity to tie the match at one apiece.

Bermuda’s celebration would be short-lived, though, as the 18-year-old Glasgow had other ideas. A turnover off a throw-in quickly transitioned into a counter by Guyana and the young forward was ready inside the box to receive a pass from Ondaan with his right foot and smashed the ball for the 2-1 lead in the 45th minute.

It was the sixth international goal from nine matches for Glasgow who completed a move from Fruta Conquerors to Major League Soccer (MLS) side, Chicago Fire in January where he’s currently competing in the MLS Next Pro League, scoring twice in his three outings (so far).

Coach Shabazz resumed the second half with his starters, but as the game progressed, he replaced Ondaan with Forge FC’s Emery Welshman, Eagles United’s Clive Nobrega for Danns and Bournemouth FC’s Nathan Moriah-Welsh with Lovell.

The second half provided plenty of close calls and it would be the defence players who shined with denied attempts, with Bermuda unable to find the precious equaliser and Guyana walking away with the victory.

With the win, Guyana sit on top of Group B, in League B of the Nations League, unbeaten with six points, while Haiti are second with four points.

The Haitians, playing their home again at the Estadio Félix Sánchez Stadium in the Dominican Republic yesterday, defeated Montserrat 3-2.

The result for Bermuda would see them in third place, following their defeat to Guyana and the scoreless stalemate against Haiti.

Guyana will play Haiti on Saturday, also at Leonora, with kick-off time set for 16:00hrs.