The Barbados men’s national football team is relishing the opportunity to make history on Tuesday, when they face Guyana’s Golden Jaguars in the second leg of their Concacaf Play-In, with advancement to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims on the line. Led by head coach Kent Hall, the Bajan Tridents maintain that they are undaunted by the three-goal deficit from the opening leg.
The Bajans gave up four goals at home on Friday at the Wildey Turf, before a quick turnaround to prepare for the second leg in Georgetown. On arrival in Guyana, former national midfielder Hall said that his men are keen to rejoin battle, as they felt that Friday’s 4-1 final tally flattered their opponents.
“The guys have responded really well to the situation and are eager to take to the pitch and improve on the performance from the first leg,” he insisted. “We feel like the scoreline didn’t really tell an accurate story of the match or paint a fair picture of the team so we’re going to change that.”
Tuesday evening’s tilt against the Golden Jaguars will be played at the National Track and Field Centre from 7 p.m. local time. Hall has made some slight tweaks to the squad that took on Guyana last Friday night in Barbados at the BFA Technical Centre, and said the Tridents are ready to take to the pitch.
“We’ve done a quick analysis of the match and we’re going to see how much we can get done in the training session this evening,” he said. “Tomorrow, we approach the match like a new fixture – one goal at a time – and if we execute well enough to give ourselves a chance at progression then we will 100 per cent go for it.”
With Kishmar Primus absent from the first leg through injury, Hall had turned to Corey Bridgeman in goal. Bridgeman was, in turn, injured during the game, forcing Jireh Malcolm in as goalkeeper. The Paradise man is likely to retain the gloves, with his club understudy, Nashton Browne in reserve.
The defence remains intact, with Andre Applewhaite of Weymouth Wales standing as captain, along with club teammates Mario Williams and Ricardio Morris. The Kickstart Rush duo of Carl Hinkson and Nicoli Brathwaite, the uncapped Jayden Goodridge, and Canada-based Nathan Walters-Harewood complete the unit.
In the midfield, Sheran Hoyte and Omani Leacock scored two goals apiece in League C play. Barbados The veteran Hadan Holligan and young Ethan Taylor had one each as well. Jaylan Gilkes, Jaron Oughterson, and Kevon Lucas are the other men in the middle.
Niall Reid-Stephen scored his seventh CNL goal on Friday evening, the only marker for the home team. His partnership with SK Rapid Wien II winger Thierry Gale was not as fruitful as had been hoped on Friday at home. Gale has six CNL goals of his own, but from last season. Hall will look forward to the youthful duo travelling well.
Reid-Stephen was the top scorer in League C of the CNL 2024-25, with a brace and a hat-trick against the United States Virgin Islands. He led in shots with 23, and has scored nine goals in his last seven matches.
Sweden-based Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse will be itching to get in on the action as well, along with the Weymouth Wales pair of Ackeel Applewhaite and Nadre Butcher, as well as Darian King.
Barbados and Guyana have a rich history. Guyana got their 10th win in 23 matches on Friday, whilst the Tridents have won six times. Before this two-legged tie, the two teams last faced each other in an international friendly in March, 2022, a 5-0 win for Guyana.
Both teams will be in League B of the Concacaf Nations in 2025. The Bajans have been promoted from League C, whilst the Guyanese will be demoted from League A.
National Senior Men’s Squad:
Goalkeepers
Jireh Malcolm (Paradise FC)
Nashton Browne (Paradise FC)
Defenders
Andre Applewhaite (Captain) (Weymouth Wales FC)
Carl Hinkson (Kickstart Rush FC)
Jayden Goodridge (Red and White Shottas)
Mario Williams (Weymouth Wales FC)
Nathan Walters-Harewood (Altitude FC, Canada)
Nicoli Brathwaite (Kickstart Rush FC)
Ricardio Morris (Weymouth Wales FC)
Midfielders
Ethan Taylor (Kickstart Rush FC)
Hadan Holligan (Weymouth Wales FC)
Jaylan Gilkes – (Barbados Soccer Academy)
Jaron Oughterson (UWI Blackbirds)
Kevon Lucas (Kickstart Rush FC)
Omani Leacock (Wotton FC)
Sheran Hoyte (Britton’s Hill United FC)
Forwards
Ackeel Applewhaite (Weymouth Wales FC)
Darian King (Wotton FC)
Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse (Harnosand FC, Sweden)
Nadre Butcher (Weymouth Wales FC)
Niall Reid-Stephen (UWI Blackbirds)
Thierry Gale (SK Rapid Wien II, Austria)
Management Team
Head Coach – Kent Hall
Assistant Coach – Marlon Harte
Manager – Ortis Williams
Equipment Manager – Orlando Mapp
Sports Therapist – Johann Lashley
Trainer – Chad Bynoe
Goalkeeping Coach – Bernard Howell
Media Officer – Amy Goulding
(TF)
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