reach the finals of the Caribbean Under-15 Championships after a 2-2 away draw with the Cayman Islands.

With the home leg of the first-round qualifier to come at the National Stadium on Sunday, February 6, coach Kenny Thompson felt his side were now favourites to win.

But they could have been in an even stronger position had they not blown a two-goal lead in Sunday's clash in the Caymans after giving away two second-half penalties.

Damon Swan put Bermuda in front after 26 minutes with a header from a cross by Tamiko Coddington.

And Eugene Calder added the second 10 minutes after half-time with a superb individual effort, firing in from a narrow angle.

But the home side pulled a goal back after 65 minutes, scoring from the spot after Shannon DeShield was adjudged to have fouled a Caymans forward.

Bermuda held on to their 2-1 lead until injury-time when another penalty was controversially awarded for handball against Chris Moulder, and the Caymans converted once more to equalise.

Speaking yesterday from the team hotel in the Caymans, Thompson said he had no complaints about the first penalty, but felt his side had been unlucky with the second.

"It was a decision that could have gone either way and it looked to me like it was ball to hand, rather than hand to ball,'' said Thompson.

"But when you're playing in another country, those sorts of decisions are always going to go in the home side's favour.

"We were disappointed to blow a two-goal lead. I thought the boys started slowly and were not circulating the ball well. But once they found their rhythm, we looked pretty much in control.

"I think the main reason we lost the lead was a drop in concentration level.

We had a mental let-down. It led to the first goal when we gave the ball away.'' Thompson said the players were determined not to allow victory to slip from their grasp again when the teams meet next month.

"The boys are a bit disappointed and they realise there was a let-down and they are really looking forward to the second leg.

"But we are in a good position, we have two away goals and having seen the Caymans team, I really rate our chances of getting to the next round.'' Thompson added: "Jason Dill, Moulder and DeShield played pretty well in defence and Dion Stovell caused a lot of problems. Every time he got the ball, the Caymans had no answer to him.

"Coddington played very well in his wide position and when Takeyhi Walker came on, he also did an outstanding job.'' If Bermuda win the second leg, they must win one more two-legged straight knockout tie to reach the Caribbean Football Union Under-15 Championships, to be played in March or April.