Bermuda women’s football team moved a step closer to winning back-to-back gold medals at the Island Games by securing a spot in the final on Thursday.

Second-half goals from Jaden Masters, Emily Cabral and Symira Lowe-Darrell helped Naquita Robinson’s side thump ten-player Gozo 3-0 in the semi-finals on Thursday. They will face Isle of Man in the final on Friday (8am Bermuda time).

Robinson praised her players for putting on a mouth-watering show against Gozo.

“This was probably the most important game of the week in terms of us getting a medal,” she told The Royal Gazette.

“We’re guaranteed a medal but today was some of the best football I’ve seen these girls play. I guess we’re peaking at the right time and it was really good to watch.”

After facing defensive set-ups in the group stage, Robinson expected Gozo to pose more of a threat to her team. However, the opponents resorted to negative tactics when they had Shakira Bugeja sent off in the 20th minute for striking Cabral in an off-the-ball incident.

“In the end it was easier than I had anticipated,” Robinson said. “I watched Gozo play against Orkney and I thought that they were going to bring more of the game to us.”

“But they actually sat deep and we had to break them down. It was an amazing goal by Jaden Masters because they were sitting so deep and attempting a counter, but their counter came right to us.”

Two years ago, Bermuda defeated Isle of Man 1-0 in the semi-finals on their way to winning gold in Guernsey.

“I know in the final Isle of Man are going to bring it because we played them in the semi-finals two years ago,” Robinson said.

“We’ve to take the game to them early. That’s what we did against Gozo and they didn’t get time to settle or even get a sniff at our goal and it caused them to retreat.

“Isle of Man’s semi-final went into extra time and penalties, so their legs will be heavy. They’ll have to rely more on their bench, whereas our game was 90 minutes and my defence didn’t have a whole lot of work to do.

Robinson believes that she has done her job in terms of getting the players geared up for the final.

“There’s nothing more to say to the girls to prepare them for the final,” the Bermuda coach said.

“They just have to go out there and do what they have to do. We have a really good group of players and they’re all fighting for each other.

“The most consistent and outstanding player has actually been Khyla Brangman, she’s been a leader on and off the pitch, and she’s shown her qualities which I’m so happy with.

“I’ve been so pleased with all the players, everybody is stepping up and doing what they have to do.”