Bermuda 2 Colorado Rapids 1

Not bad for a national team in so-called crisis. Not bad for team of players supposedly lacking pride and passion. Not bad at all.

Yes, last night Bermuda's boys answered their critics with a performance packed full of attacking gusto and a never-say-die-spirit, which has been absent during this World Cup qualifying campaign.

This was the sort of football Bermuda's paying public wants to see from their team. It was ironic then that on a night when they finally clicked into gear there was hardly anyone at the National Sports Centre to enjoy it.

Rather than simply weaving pretty patterns from deep inside their own half, Bermuda adopted a far more penetrative and downright daring brand of play, which deserved the prize scalp of Colorado Rapids.

Sure, the MLS outfit were still jaded from their recent pre-season excursion to the UK, which saw them beat Ipswich Town's reserves and hold the mighty Arsenal's second-string.

But take nothing away from Bermuda who for large periods outplayed their more experienced professional counterparts, whose MLS season starts in just over a fortnight.

The talk on the street prior to the match had been how many goals would Rapids rack up against a Bermuda low on confidence, and it seemed with good reason with Colin Clarke, Rafael Gomes dos Santos and Christian Gomez all going close within the first few minutes.

But crucially, and encouragingly, Bermuda withstood the early onslaught and slowly began exerting some pressure of their own down the right flank, with Damon Ming the chief beneficiary.

Rather than simply passing to players in static positions Bermuda's midfield schemers were supplying balls into space for their wingers to burst onto. It was from such a probing and purposeful pass Bermuda nearly opened the scoring with Ming beating his marker before firing over a deep cross.

The ball, which was only half cleared, fell invitingly into the path of lone striker Lashun Dill whose powerful drive flew just wide of the left-hand post. Smelling blood Bermuda aggressively attacked the right channel again with Steede, showcasing a far more expansive range of passing, finding the busy Seion Darrell who over hit his centre.

This wasn't turning into the sort of light workout Rapids may have hoped for during their visit to the Island, and they were soon chasing their tails again when a long-ball from Omar Shakir sent Domico Coddington free down the middle.

Coddington seemed to be on the verge of showing his defender a clean set of heals until his aluminous yellow boots betrayed him at the crucial time with the speedy striker losing his footing as he entered the box.

The second-half saw Bermuda's confidence continue to visibly grow with each passage of play and it was from another counter-attacking move that led to their opener. Rapids' protests for offside fell on deaf ears as Keishen Bean latched onto a through a ball, checked back when he reached the edge of the box and drifted over a delightful cross for skipper Steede to calmly head home.

Just minutes later the 'Gombey Warriors' increased their advantage when Ming's quickly taken free-kick to Darrell caught Rapids' defence cold, allowing the impish midfielder to drive over a low cross for Coddington to cleverly convert.

Rapids' coach Fernando Clavijo responded by wielding the changes with half a dozen substitutes entering the fray with the visitors sensing an embarrassing defeat.

Coddington should have really put the game beyond them when he squandered another gift of a chance, blazing his angled shot wide after a raking pass from Shakir at the back.

Rapids proceeded to make Bermuda pay for their profligacy with Herculez Gomez firing Jacob Petterson's right-wing cross past keeper Timmy Figuerido from close range.

The visitors threw men forward in their droves during the final phase hunting for the equaliser, but Kevin Richards and Co stood firm as the encounter became increasingly more heated, as Rapids became increasing more frustrated.

The final whistle signalled Bermuda's first ever triumph over a MLS team. For a country that prides itself on being a football-loving nation the tragedy was there was only a smattering of spectators present to witness it.