GUYANA’s senior men’s team, the ‘Golden Jaguars’, defeated hosts Bermuda 2-0 yesterday at the Dame Flora Duffy National Sports Centre in their CONCACAF Nations B League group match. The win was significant since it will see Guyana returning to the Gold Cup (preliminary round).

Bermuda’s Gombey Warriors would’ve hope to make the best of home advantage but the Guyanese dominated the match throughout and it was the heroics from their number 1, Dale Eve, who had the second most saves (35) in the tournament prior to the match, that kept the score level 0-0 at halftime with some good saves. Jeremy Garret came closest during that period with a powerful header that rattled the cross-bar.

Thirteen minutes into the second half, Golden Jags skipper, Emery Welshman, received a cross in the box and then flicked it on to an unmarked Liam Gordon who calmly slotted home from close range at the last post. The goal gave the dominating visiting side a well-deserved lead.

Five minutes later, Garrett thundered home the second goal for Guyana from close range following a corner set piece.

As things stand now, the Golden Jaguars are guaranteed to feature in the preliminary round of the Gold Cup but if group leaders Haiti lose to Bermuda on Tuesday and Guyana defeats Montserrat, they will top the group and gain automatic qualification to the Gold Cup.

The 2023 Gold Cup will be hosted in the USA from June 16 to July 17.