MIAMI, Florida – Both Belize and Curacao emerged victorious to clinch first-place finishes in their respective groups, as the Road to W Gold Cup continued with a trio of matches on Thursday in League C.
Aruba vs. Turks and Caicos Islands
The day started with Aruba defeating Turks and Caicos Islands, 8-0, at the Guillermo P. Trinidad Stadium in Oranjestad in Group A play.
Vanessa Susanna got Aruba off to a dream start with her first goal of the day in the 4’ with a right-footed strike for a 1-0 lead.
Bonny Lammers doubled the advantage 2-0 in the 27’ with a brilliant solo move and finish before Susanna bagged her second of the day right before halftime with a penalty conversion for a 3-0 lead.
Aruba kept things going in the second half and it was Lammers again with goals in the 49’ and 52’ to extend it to 5-0 with a sweeping right-footed finish and a rocket from outside the area.
Aruba then closed things out with three goals in four minutes, beginning with Lammers’ fourth in the 68’ on a shot that took a deflection and spun into net.
Stacy Lampe then got in on the action in the 70’ with a lob over the goalkeeper, followed by Susanna completing her hat-trick and the 8-0 scoreline in the 71’ by slotting home a left-footed shot.
Anguilla vs. Curacao
Curacao nailed down a first-place finish in Group D with a 5-1 win versus Anguilla at the Raymond E. Guishard Stadium in The Valley, Anguilla.
Kadisha Martina was the star of the show for Curacao with a four-goal effort, beginning with her first in the 19’ on a right-footed volley inside the near post for a 1-0 lead.
Martina then made it 2-0 in the 39’ with a great move and right-footed finish, followed by Taisha Hansen giving Curacao a 3-0 halftime lead with a composed right-footed effort just seconds before the whistle.
Martina was back at it in the 54’ by following up her own saved shot and turning home the rebound for a 4-0 advantage. She then tacked on one more goal in the 83’ on another right-footed finish.
Anguilla would get a consolation goal in the 87’ through Carlia Johnson, who made up for an earlier penalty miss with a strike from inside the area to round out the 5-1 scoreline.
Bonaire vs. Belize
The day concluded with Belize claiming first place in Group A with a 5-1 win against Bonaire at the Stadion Antonio Trenidat in Rincon, Bonaire.
Khalydia Velasquez gave Belize a 1-0 lead in the 18’ when she followed up an initial tipped save that glanced off the crossbar, allowing Velasquez to swoop in and push the ball into net.
Vurgy-Ann Visers would respond in kind for Bonaire in the 28’ and pulled her side even 1-1 with a strong right-footed finish at the near post.
Belize regained the lead shortly before the break, as Sabrina Eiley curled in a right-footed attempt from outside the area to make it a 2-1 affair in the 41’.
Eiley then notched her second score of the night in the 49’ to extend the Belize lead to 3-1 by rounding Bonaire GK Rose Engelhart and finishing from an acute angle.
Carlene Tillett then capped off the festive night for Belize by banging home a shot from close-range in the 81’ and then firing into net in the final seconds for the 5-1 final.
