Football Union Youth Tournament after crushing the US Virgin Islands 7-0 away from home over the weekend.

Takeyhi Walker and Dion Stovell netted three goals apiece, while Domico Coddington chipped in with the other as Bermuda completed an 11-0 aggregate triumph.

Coach Kenny Thompson and his youngsters will travel to Haiti next month for the finals, when the opposition will consist of Martinique, St. Kitts and Nevis and the host nation. The tournament will run from July 24 to August 1.

Thompson picked out Coddington's goal as the most memorable. The midfielder found the far corner of the net after an intelligent forward run, rounding off a fine move involving Jason Davis and Damon Swan.

One of Walker's goals was an outstanding individual effort, involving a dribble past three defenders and an audacious back-heel finish.

The match was played at a venue usually used for baseball, with a surface not conducive to the team's favoured passing game, said Thompson.

"Part of the diamond was on the pitch and was very sandy and the surface was generally very bumpy,'' said Thompson. "When we saw it, we decided we would play more direct, playing long balls to the strikers and supporting them from there.

"With a four-goal lead, if there was any pressure it was eased when we scored first inside three or four minutes and that meant they had to score six. As a contest, the match was then over.'' Thompson was delighted with the way the youngsters responded to a change from usual tactics, without having a training session to work on it before Friday night's match.

"This group of players was put together in February, 1999, and between then and now we have seen a great deal of improvement,'' said the coach.

"Their tactical insight has improved as well. They keep us on our toes. From the questions they are raising at team meetings, it's tremendous to know we are getting the message across.'' The team will train five times a week in the month between now and the finals, with Thompson enjoying the out-of-season chance to work intensively with the players without any clash between clubs and country.

"We have to prepare for the most difficult opposition possible as we know very little about the other teams in the finals,'' said Thompson. "But the fact that they are there speaks for itself.'' Bermuda have barely been tested yet, having breezed past the Caymans 7-2 on aggregate in the opening qualifying round before their demolition of the USVI.

And that was a concern for the coach.

"We have reminded them that these matches have been easy and there are difficult matches ahead,'' said Thompson.

"Most of these players have been together a while and have been over to Holland with me, so they know what difficult opponents, technically or physically, can be like.

"Also, we have played many preparation matches against Commercial League opponents like Robin Hood, MR Onions and North Village Rams. Then they are up against older and stronger players and they have to concentrate for the full match.

"Before we went to the USVI, we played against a Fire Service team containing five or six Premier League players. That kept our boys very busy. They did very well and a 2-1 defeat was not a bad result at all.''