The Barbados men’s national team face an uphill battle to qualify for the 2025 Gold Cup Prelims, after losing 4-1 to Guyana on Friday evening at the Wildey Turf, in the first leg of their home-and-away Play-In. The Bajan Tridents lost for the first time in five matches in this year’s Concacaf Nations League (CNL), and will be searching for answers before heading to Georgetown next week.
With Rapid Vienna II winger Thierry Gale fit again for the first time this year, coach Kent Hall reconfigured his attack, adding young Ethan Taylor, placing Gale wide, and moving Niall Reid-Stephen to the point of attack. Corey Bridgeman was in goal for the injured Kismar Primus.
The game flared into life quickly. On the quarter-hour, Reid-Stephen tested custodian Quillan Roberts, but the Guyanese was up to snuff. Bajan centre-back Mario Williams was shown a yellow card for a flailing elbow off the ball. Then came the opening for Barbados.
Off a Guyana corner, Taylor took down a pass at the half line, sprinted down the right sideline, and crossed for Reid-Stephen just outside the box. Reid-Stephen picked his spot, and drove a powerful left-foot shot past the custodian for a seventh CNL goal in five games.
Omari Glasgow restored parity less than 10 minutes later. The Chicago Fire II forward picked up in midfield to start the move, laid off, and negotiated his way into the 18-year-box, where he was on the receiving end of a 1-2 that resulted in his 12th CNL marker.
With a Guyanese player down, both teams took a quick refreshment break in the 33rd minute. Coming out of the brief respite, Nathan Moriah-Welsh took a shot from 50 yards out, trying to catch Barbados keeper Corey Bridgeman off his line.
Bridgeman was equal to the save, catching the ball comfortably. Back-pedalling from the grab, however, he appeared to jam his leg into the turf, and went to the ground for an extended period. Eventually, he was forced off for Paradise FC stopper Jireeh Malcolm.
On the stroke of halftime, Isaiah Jones took advantage of a beautiful through-ball and bore down on Malcolm’s goal. But the substitute goalie was up to the mark, and De Rosario, whose follow-up shot rippled the back of the net, was deemed to have been offside.
It was just about 15 minutes into the second half that the Golden Jaguars began to pour on the style. Jones sped into the box, cutting back for Glasgow. Glasgow swung through on the volley after Hadan Holligan bobbled the clearance. It was the 19th career goal for the 20-year-old Guyanese forward, a record for the South American nation.
A minute later, Osaze de Rosario doubled the lead almost right from the kickoff. Nicoli Brathwaite passed into the path of the Tacoma Defiance player, the son of Canadian legend Dwayne De Rosario. The younger De Rosario flicked over Malcolm to make it 3-1.
The visitors polished things off with an injury-time goal from substitute Enoch George, who outraced four defenders, received the pass on the break from Jones, and slotted home.
Guyana will host the Tridents next Tuesday, with Kent Hall’s men handed the difficult job of beating Guyana by three clear goals to have a chance of making it to next year’s Prelims.
(TF)
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