MIAMI, Florida – Keithroy Freeman netted a double as unbeaten St Kitts and Nevis took a giant stride towards the next round of CONCACAF 2022 World Cup Qualifying with a 3-0 thrashing of Guyana on Friday.
Playing at Warner Park in Basseterre, the home side won their third game in as many outings courtesy of the 27-year-old Freeman’s strikes in the first half, with Romaine Sawyers grabbing the third in the second half.
The victory took St Kitts top of Group F with nine points, five clear of the second placed Puerto Rico who won their first earlier in the week.
Freeman put the hosts ahead as early as the ninth minute from the spot and doubled his tally on 36 minutes from close range.
Sawyers, who features for West Bromwich Albion – relegated from the English Premier League last month – then found St Kitts’ third after being set up by United Kingdom-based Omari Sterling-James.
In Group A, Antigua and Barbuda won their second when they edged Grenada 1-0 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium at home in St John’s, to remain unbeaten.
The lone goal came in the 20th minute through Rhys Browne, who plays in England’s National League club for Sutton United – the 25-year-old finishing neatly at the far post.
Antigua top the group on seven points, two clear of Montserrat.
In Guatemala City, St Vincent and the Grenadines were on the receiving end of a 10-0 mauling at the hands of the hosts, to plunge to their second defeat in Group C.
Ten different scorers managed to find the back of the nets, including four off the bench, as the Central American giants won their third straight to continue top of the group.
Guatemala are top following their third straight win while SVG are bottom of the pile after tasting their second defeat.
Bermuda also suffered a stern drubbing in Paramaribo, slumping to a 6-0 defeat to Suriname, with Israel-based forward Nigel Hasselbaink burying a hat-trick and Sheraldo Becker, who plays for Union Berlin in the German Bundesliga, chipping in with a double.
While the defeat was Bermuda’s second, leaving them third in Group B, the victory was Suriname’s third, keeping them top on nine points.
Barbados, meanwhile, suffered heartbreak in Santo Domingo, conceding a injury-time goal to settle for a share of the points in a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez.
Playing in Group D, Barbados seemed headed for a surprise 1-0 win courtesy of 19-year-old Niall Reid-Stephen’s 42nd minute strike.
But Spain-based Manny Rodriguez pounced in the third minute of stoppage time at the end to rescue the hosts and keep them top on seven points with their second win.
Barbados lie third on four points.
In the Group E game in Managua, Nicaragua defeated Belize 3-0.
RESULTS CONCACAF
Group A
At Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium (ST JOHN’S):
Antigua & Barbuda beat Grenada 1-0
Group B
At Franklin Essed Stadium (PARAMARIBO):
Suriname beat Bermuda 6-0
Group C
At Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores (GUATEMALA-CITY):
Guatemala beat St Vincent & the Grenadines 10-0
Group D
At Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez (SANTO DOMINGO):
Dominican Republic drew with Barbados 1-1
Group E
At Estadio Nacional (MANAGUA):
Nicaragua beat Belize 3-0
Group F
At Warner Park (BASSETERRE):
St Kitts and Nevis beat Guyana 3-0
(CMC)