By: BVIFA

The National team departed this morning, Tuesday May 27^th, 2014, for Aruba where it will play in Group two of the 18^th edition of the Caribbean Cup.

Also in the group are the host, Aruba, French Guiana and the Turks and Caicos.

The first game is Friday 30^th May against French Guiana at 6.30pm followed by Aruba on Sunday June 1^st at 8.30pm and the final game against the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday June 3^rd at 6.30pm.

The full BVI squad includes: Damien Farrell, Gregory James, Andy Davis (captain), Joel Fahie, Fladimir Septus, Christopher Telemaque, Trevor Peters, Jasquever Frett, Troy Caesar, Jamal Sergeant, Kevin Fisher, Rushedo Robinson, Jhon Samuel, Vanquever Frett, Rondell Delfish, Shamoy Thompson, James Shearman, Montgomery Butler and Javier Smith.

Accompanying the squad are manager, Val Rose,  Assistant Coach, Lenroy Henry, and Head Coach, Avondale Williams.

“I’m very pleased with the commitment of the players over the last few weeks of training and we can expect a much better performance than in previous years,” noted Williams ahead of the team’s departure.

“We are reaching the venue a couple of days ahead and will add the finishing touches to our plans before the opening game against French Guiana. We are aiming at qualifying for the next round in Puerto Rico and have done a lot of preparation on the mental side of the game as well as tactical. Our goal is to compete at the highest level and come out on top of the group”

The Tournament acts as a qualifier for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the group winner will progress into Group Four which contains Puerto Rico (host Nation), Grenada and Curacao

Jamaica received a bye into the eight-team final round, which it will host in Montego Bay, November 9-18, and will be joined there by defending champion Cuba.

GROUP 1

Bonaire (host), Montserrat, U.S. Virgin Islands

GROUP 2

Aruba (host), British Virgin Islands, French Guiana, Turks & Caicos Islands

The first round, September 1-8, is comprised of four, four-team groups:

GROUP 3

Martinique (host), Barbados, Suriname, Group 1 winner

GROUP 4

Puerto Rico (host), Grenada, Curacao, Group 2 winner

GROUP 5

Antigua & Barbuda (host), Dominican Republic, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Anguilla

GROUP 6

St. Kitts & Nevis (host), Dominica, Guyana, St. Lucia

The first- and second-place teams from each group, as well as the third-place team with the best overall record, will progress to the second round.  There, they will slot into three, four-team groups headed by hosts Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti and Guadeloupe.  Those encounters will be played October 6-13:

GROUP 7

Trinidad & Tobago (host), Group 5 winner, Group 6 runner-up, Best overall third place

(Contd)

 

GROUP 8

Haiti (host), Group 6 winner, Group 3 runner-up, Group 4 runner-up

GROUP 9

Guadeloupe, Group 4 winner, Group 3 winner, Group 5 runner-up

The second round group winners and runners-up will advance to the final round.

This will also be the first time that the Caribbean Cup’s qualifying stages will be played during officially-sanctioned FIFA match dates, allowing national associations the latitude to include overseas players.

Trinidad & Tobago has won the tournament on a record eight occasions.

By: BVIFA

Half way through the second half, Derol Redhead found himself in some space at the top of the penalty area as a corner swung in from the right. He at first looked set to try an overhead bicycle kick, but instead dragged the ball back over his shoulder with a deft touch, and fired home an unstoppable volley past the Rebels.

Having reached the half time break still locked in stalemate, the Rebels should have put themselves ahead early in the second half when Denzil Joseph was one on one with the keeper, but failed to convert the chance from 10 yards out. Moments later, down at the other end Redhead sliced an attempted volley wide and Lenard Davis also came close, but his first touch let him down allowing the keeper to smother his shot.

Jario Morris also brought a fine save from the keeper, with a header and Gregory Solomon also made a last ditch tackle to thwart another threatening Sugar Boys attack.

Joseph squandered another golden opportunity for Rebels, but the move of the match saw Roger Roberts dribble past 3 Rebels defenders before seeing his close range effort saved, and then came the Redhead stunner to secure all 3 points.

Earlier One Love had been held 2-2 by the Wolues, with missed opportunities and two dropped points meaning they missed out on going joint top of the standings with the Islanders.

Mark Gardner had given the Wolues the lead in the 23rd minute before Eric Campbell equalized 5 minutes later. Alessandro Pallandino then restored the Wolues advantage from the penalty spot just before half time.

One Love missed many good chances and eventually leveled the game through Charles Bonnick in the 55th minute. However they could not find a winner and the Wolues will be the happier of the two teams.

The BVI lost 2-0 to Anguilla last night, Tuesday July 16, 2013 as both teams opened their Caribbean Football Union/FIFA Women’s U20 qualifying Tournament campaigns on the A O Shirley Ground.

Having withstood some early pressure, the BVI’s defense was split open in the 10th minute by a pass from midfield that Roxanna Bradshaw latched onto, controlled and then took a touch before sliding it home past the diving Brittany Peters in goal.

Ebony Fahie, battling away in midfield, launched the first home attack with a ball that was played over the top, a tactic that was used too often during the game and with too little success. On this occasion and with legs still fresh, Kezia Gumbs chased it down, slipped past a couple of defenders and with the small crowd leaping to their feet in expectation was unfortunately only able to hit her cross at the keeper.

Most of the first half action though was in front of the host’s goal and thankfully Peters was in good shot stopping mode and had Tahirah Bascombe with Joi Ann Thomas playing solid in defense to back her up.

The BVI’s most successful passage of play came deep in the first period when a series of corners and throw ins had Anguilla scrambling more than once, but the final ball was lacking and the lines were cleared.

The second half was much the same as the first with Anguilla looking the more likely to score and so it proved when Tamisha Richardson slipped through the defense. Her first shot was well saved by Peters, but the rebound fell kindly for the striker and she made no mistake second time around.

Anguilla could have and probably should have scored a few more goals in truth, but at the final whistle, the BVI Coach Kate Rowson could at least take some positives from the game whilst having much to improve upon.

“The result hasn’t gone our way, but I have to say there were some really disappointing bits, especially with the basics, but also I’m pleased with the effort, the organization and the positions, but don’t get me wrong, we have lots to work on and two tough games coming up,” Rowson said.

Coach Kate wouldn’t be drawn on the “over the top” tactic as opposed to playing on the ground, but did comment that it would be discussed. Additionally she pointed out that “we need to look at the game. We didn’t make enough passes or have enough play making. We were trying to play the ball in the air which was the reason why we didn’t put together the passes and we need to sort that out.”

The day’s first game had seen St Kitts and Nevis beat Antigua 4-0 with the Girls red putting on a classy show especially when the ball was at the feet of Phoenetia Browne down the right hand side or Brittany Lawrence down the left.

It took Browne just 4 minutes to supply the cross that unlocked the Antigua defense. Her ball evading two Antigua defenders and finding its way to Janae Pine, who took a touch and calmly slotted home past Mahiah Benta in the goal.

Several half chances went begging at either end, but then on 36 minutes, a delightful corner from Lawrence was met by Kerisha Powell and the lead was doubled.

In the second half Lawrence and Browne were pulling Antigua all over the field. Powell went narrowly wide with a header, Pine just failed to get a touch on a Lawrence cross and then Powell had the best chance to make it 3 when she followed up on a free kick from Lawrence which bounced over the keepers head and then back of the post, but the striker failed to get a clean strike on the ball and instead found herself in the back of the net.

Pine eventually made it 3 in the 75th minute and then to cap off a great all round performance Lawrence slotted home from the penalty spot to make it 4 -0.

Upcoming matches

July 18: St. Kitts and Nevis will vs Anguilla at 4 p.m. Antigua and Barbuda vs BVI at 6.
July 20: Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda, 4 p.m. BVI vs St. Kitts and Nevis at 6 p.m.