Barbados emphatically dispatched the Bahamas 6-2 at the Wildey Turf last night in the CONCACAF Nations League C, securing their fourth consecutive competitive victory – an achievement not seen in over a decade.
This triumph also marked the island’s most dominant win since their 7-1 thrashing of Anguilla on 23rd September 2006, 18 years ago.
The Tridents once again showcased their versatility in front of goal, with four different players finding the back of the net in a commanding display. Captain and left-back Andre Applewhaite, along with utility midfielder Sheran Hoyte both netted braces, while Niall Reid-Stephen and Omani Leacock also added their names to the scoresheet.
The match began inauspiciously for the hosts, as a failure to deal with a long ball into the channel saw Brandon Adderley punish the Barbadian defence with a superb swivel and finish. He left defender Ricardio Morris flat-footed and silenced the home crowd just six minutes in. Adderley’s goal was his sixth of the Group A campaign and third against Barbados.
However, the Tridents responded swiftly. Right wing-back Nicoli Brathwaite broke through the Bahamian press, initiating an overload on the right flank that culminated in a low cross from Reid-Stephen. Although Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse’s initial effort was blocked, Applewhaite latched onto the loose ball at the far post to slot home the equaliser in the eighth minute.
Just six minutes later, the home fans were celebrating again as Reid-Stephen, with his sixth Nations League goal, converted a penalty, albeit with less conviction than his effort from the previous match last Tuesday.
Barbados continued to create chances, and Hoyte, given another opportunity to impress, calmly slotted a low shot into the bottom corner to extend the lead. A well-timed ball from defender Carl Hinkson to Reid-Stephen saw the latter perform an audacious dummy, allowing Hoyte to finish with ease.
As the first half drew to a close, complacency crept into the Barbadian ranks. Bahamian forward Omari Bain drifted inside from the left flank and delivered a cross to midfielder William Bayles, whose deflected shot off Brathwaite and rolled agonisingly into Kishmar Primus’ net, bringing the score to 3-2.
Any hopes of a Bahamian comeback were dashed early in the second half. In the 47th minute, Leacock pounced on a loose ball to make it 4-2, and just five minutes later, Applewhaite mirrored his earlier goal, tapping in from another right-flank overload. Hoyte sealed the victory in the 64th minute, punishing some lax defending to complete the rout.
Barbados finished the group stage with a perfect 12 points from four matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just four. Their promotion to the CONCACAF Nations League B for next year has also been confirmed. (JC)
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