Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe – Saint Lucia secured a tense 2-1 victory over Bermuda to move within one point of automatically qualifying for next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
Playing at the Stade Roger Zami in Le Gosier on Friday in their League B Nations League encounter, Shevon Byron’s brace was enough to secure victory for Saint Lucia and send them to the top of Group B on 12 points, two more than second-placed Barbados.
The result means Saint Lucia only need to avoid defeat against Barbados in their final preliminary match on Tuesday to book their spot in the 2027 Gold Cup.
Knowing a win would overtake Barbados following their 3-0 defeat to Guadeloupe on Thursday, Saint Lucia started positively and took the lead in just the sixth minute when Byron fired home on the volley from the middle of the box.
However, Bermuda, who are still searching for their first points in the tournament, levelled the score three minutes into the second half with a curling free kick from distance.
But Byron put his side back in the lead six minutes later after receiving a ball over the top and finding the back of the net.
Meanwhile, Grenada and Puerto Rico also recorded victories in League B.
Grenada earned a hard-fought come-from-behind 3-2 win over Saint Kitts & Nevis, while Puerto Rico defeated Dominica 4-2.
Playing at the Estadio La Polar in Havana, Cuba, Tiquanny Williams opened the scoring for St Kitts in the 12th minute.
Grenada notched the equaliser in the 34th minute when Benjamin Ettienne’s shot ricocheted off the crossbar and into the back of the net.
Grenada then established a two-goal lead in the space of two minutes in the second half.
First, Vijay Valcin tapped in a low cross from Raheem Raeburn in the 50th minute before Narshon Sylvester fired a one-timer from outside the box past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1.
Williams recorded his brace in the 63rd minute when he received a ball over the top and slotted it between the keeper’s legs for his 14th goal of the tournament.
However, it proved not to be enough as Grenada held on for the win to move up to third place in Group C with six points, while St Kitts remain in second on eight points.
Puerto Rico moved within three points of Guyana in Group A with a dominant win over Dominica.
Playing at the Leonora National Track & Field Centre in Guyana, Ricardo Rivera’s penalty in the 38th minute opened the scoring for Puerto Rico before Wilfredo Rivera unleashed a left-footed blast from the edge of the box in the 56th minute to make it 2-0.
Malachi Sharpe cut into the deficit for Dominica in the 77th minute, but Gerald Díaz responded for Puerto Rico six minutes later and Adrian Rosario put the finishing touches on the win in the 87th minute from close range.
Reon Cuffy got one back for Dominica in added time but there wasn’t enough time for a rally.
CMC
