BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, August 22, 2010 (SKNFA) - The Federation's Under-17 (U-17) male footballers came back from a one (1) goal deficit in the third (3rd) minute, to gain maximum points against the much fancied U-17 players from Bermuda, when they met in the first game of Match Day 2 in Group E of the FIFA's U-17 World Cup Qualifiers Stage II in Trinidad & Tobago on Friday 20th August.
When Bermuda who lost 3-1 to Cuba in the opening match on Wednesday, started the scoring in the third (3rd) minute, many would have thought that the young Sugar Boyz were again on the road to another heavy defeat after losing their first (1st) game eight (8) goals to nil (0) in an 11 o'clock in the morning encounter two (2) days earlier to group favourites Trinidad & Tobago, but Head Coach Al Edwards, his Technical team and the players had other ideas.
They knew for them to stand a chance of advancing to the next Round to face the heavy guys in CONCACAF they would have had to win the game, and win it they did.
Our #15 player Tulmal Nisbett equalised in the 21st minute and Khyron Phillip sporting #6 ensured we went into the locker room leading when he converted a penalty in the 454th minute.
Wearing the no. 14 jersey, the U 17 Sugar Boy Glenroy Samuel extended the lead to 3-1 in minute no. 67.
Just when everyone thought that game would end that way, the Kitti-Nevisian U 17 players having their minds in celebration gear, allowed the Bermudians to squeeze in one in the 92nd minute to end the game 3-2.
With the Winner and Runner-up automatically qualifying for the CONCACAF U-17 Finals in February 2011, the points table now reads:
GROUP E GP W D L GF GA GD Pts
Trinidad & Tobago 2 1 1 0 8 0 8 4
Cuba 2 1 1 0 3 1 2 4
St. Kitts & Nevis 2 1 0 1 3 10 -7 3
Bermuda 2 0 0 2 3 6 -3 0
The final round of matches will be played at 3.00 pm on Sunday 21st, when St. Kitts-Nevis needing a victory by any margin to advance to the next round, will face the might of Cuba who need just a draw to progress.
At 5.00 pm the Trinidad & Tobago who need only a draw to advance as well and whom the pundits favour, will take on Bermuda who cannot advance irrespective of any result in any of the games.
This is the first (1st) time in three (3) successive attempts that our U 17 Sugar Boyz have made it to the second (2nd) Stage of the FIFA's U 17 World Cup, which is held every two (2) years.
Our young footballers rewrote our history books earlier this month when they won their zone in Antigua & Barbuda which included the hosts, French St. Martin and Anguilla.
