Antigua & Barbuda (pictured) has a place in the semifinals of the Caribbean under-20 qualifying tournament for the 2017 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. (File Photo)
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao – Antigua & Barbuda (2W-1D-0L, 7 points) captured the Group A crown in the Caribbean under-20 qualifying finals, holding on for 3-2 win over Bermuda (1-1-1, 4) on Tuesday at the Stadion Ergilio Hato.
With the result, the Benna Boys earned a place in the regional semifinals and a berth in the 2017 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. Despite the loss, the Bermudians did the same on the goal difference tiebreaker (+1 to 0) with St. Kitts & Nevis (1-1-1, 4), which defeated Curacao (0-1-2, 1), 3-1. St. Kitts can still progress to the CONCACAF event as the team with the best third-place record.
Mohammad Hakeem (1’, 11’) led the way for Antigua against Bermuda, striking for the game’s first two goals within the opening 11 minutes. Javorn Stevens (40’) made it 3-0 five minutes before halftime, striking in a third consecutive finals outing.
Bermuda’s second-half comeback bid saw Mazhye Burchall (53’, 86’) net twice, but it wasn’t enough to alter the outcome.
Both sides completed the game with 10 players as Knory Scott (56’) and Denie Henry (59’) were ejected for Bermuda and Antigua, respectively.
In the nightcap, St. Kitts & Nevis officially eliminated host Curacao.
After Javier Sutton (23’) put the visitor ahead 1-0 at the midway point of the first half, Jeremy Cijntje (42’) leveled just three minutes before the break. Delano Hodge (67’) and Dakarai Phipps (76’) notched second-goals to propel the Sugar Boyz to victory.
The tournament resumes Wednesday with the last two Group B matches. Cuba and St. Lucia will meet in the opener, followed by an encounter between already-qualified Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago.
The competition, which runs through October 30, will qualify the top five finishers to the next CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, which will be played in Costa Rica from February 17-March 5, 2017. The 12-team field also includes the host nation; Central American qualifiers El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, as well as automatic North American entrants Canada, Mexico and the United States.
2016 CARIBBEAN UNDER-20 QUALIFYING – FINAL ROUND
Curacao
October 21-30, 2016
SCHEDULE
GROUP A (Stadion Ergilio Hato – Willemstad, Curacao)
Antigua & Barbuda 3-2-1-0-6-4-7
Bermuda 3-1-1-1-6-5-4
St. Kitts & Nevis 3-1-1-1-6-6-4
Curacao 3-0-1-2-2-5-1
October 21, 2016
Bermuda 3, St. Kitts & Nevis 1
Knory Scott 26’; Tevahn Tyrell 30’, 37’ / Tahir Hanley 17’
Curacao 0, Antigua & Barbuda 1
Javorn Stevens 86’
October 23, 2016
St. Kitts & Nevis 2, Antigua & Barbuda 2
Delano Hodge 9’; Tahir Hanley 48’ / Javorn Stevens 23’; Luther Wildin 86’
Curacao 1, Bermuda 1
Leeroy Schorea 32’ / Tevahn Tyrell 79’
October 25, 2016
Antigua & Barbuda 3, Bermuda 2
Mohammad Hakeem 1’, 11’; Javorn Stevens 40’ / Mazhye Burchall 53’, 86’
Curacao 1, St. Kitts & Nevis 3
Jeremy Cijntje 42’ / Javier Sutton 23’; Delano Hodge 67’; Dakarai Phipps 76’
GROUP B (Stadion Ergilio Hato – Willemstad, Curacao)
October 22, 2016
Haiti 5, St. Lucia 1
Roberto Louima 6’; Ronaldo Damus 23’, 83’, 86’; Kenley Dede 78’ / Keeroy Lionel 80’
Trinidad & Tobago 0, Cuba 0
October 24, 2016
St. Lucia 0, Trinidad & Tobago 4
Nicholas Dillon 5’, 28’, 70’; Noah Powder 65’
Haiti 2, Cuba 1
Jimmy-Shammar Sanon 6’; Jonel Desire 80’ / Lazaro Tuero 68’
Haiti 2-2-0-0-7-2-6
Trinidad & Tobago 2-1-1-0-4-0-4
Cuba 2-0-1-1-1-2-1
St. Lucia 2-0-0-2-1-9-0
October 26, 2016:
Cuba v St. Lucia
Trinidad & Tobago v Haiti
SEMIFINALS (Stadion Ergilio Hato – Willemstad, Curacao)
October 28, 2016:
Group A winner v Group B runner-up
Group B winner v Group A runner-up
THIRD PLACE MATCH (Stadion Ergilio Hato – Willemstad, Curacao)
October 30, 2016: Semifinal losers
FINAL (Stadion Ergilio Hato – Willemstad, Curacao)
October 30, 2016: Semifinal winners
