Bermuda 7 Suriname 0

Milan Gibbons-Thomas scored four goals and provided two assists for Bermuda to get Bermuda off to a blistering start in the Concacaf Under-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers at Flora Duffy Stadium on Saturday night.

Gibbons-Thomas, who received a standing ovation when she was replaced by Mia Daponte in the 76th minute, got her goals in the sixteenth, 28th, 63rd and 74th minutes. Evans Welch found the target in the fourth and 32nd minutes, while substitute Nadia Medeiros weighed in with a single strike in the 68th.

After the big win, Bermuda occupy second position in group B, behind Panama, who started off with a 8-0 victory over Bonaire in a match played earlier at the same venue.

“From the start the coach told us the word of the week is standards,” Gibbons-Thomas said.

“So we just kept a high standard and I just did my job. I could have got more goals, but it’s better to work as a team and when your time comes, your time comes.

“I thank the fans for coming out. It definitely helped us, they hyped us up, we did our job and they did theirs.”

Coach Gary Adams was pleased to see his players put to the show what they worked on prior to the encounter.

“It’s always rewarding to see things that you do on the training ground,” the coach said.

“The girls take the information that we’d given and then they come out and apply it on the field.

“The girls and the movement, some of it was smooth as butter, the connection between the players. But that being said, obviously it’s a good first start, we still have a lot of work to do.

“Truthfully, it was a little unknown. We haven’t seen much about Suriname but we do know they have a little bit of a football culture.

“We were actually surprised to see what was going to happen. A lot of it with the girls is just sticking to our game plan and as the game goes on, if we have to make adjustments, we will, but more to focus on ourselves.

“I think we have a more technical team this year and I honestly think that’s a good reflection of the Bermuda Football Association and all the young girls’ programmes that different schools and academies are doing.

“We’re seeing all the hard work now come to fruition and I’m just fortunate to benefit from a lot of people's hard work. I’m glad that I can take it to the next level and represent the country with that.”

Taking to the field after Panama, the highest ranked team in the group had made a statement with their wi, Bermuda were quick to get off the blocks.

In the fourth minute, Daley Outerbridge had her effort deflected for a corner by Ferdesia Klas, the Suriname goalkeeper. Moments later, Gibbons-Thomas laid the ball for Welch to eject the 760 fans off their seats.

Gibbons-Thomas got her first goal when Riley Khan delivered the ball into the box from the right for the forward to apply the finishing touch.

For her second, the double brace scorer went for the spectacular. After receiving the ball from Welch, the powerful striker took a couple of steps before unleashing a ferocious shot into the net to triple Bermuda’s lead.

Welch completed her brace four minutes later as she rounded the keeper and got the ball over the line from a tight angle.

Seven minutes before the break, the impressive Khan had her shot on goal blocked by Klas, who used her feet to keep the ball out.

Just after the hour mark, Gibbons-Thomas completed her hat-trick in fortuitous fashion when her shot at goal took an awkward bounce to beat the keeper.

Medeiros, who replaced Janiya Sealey in the 60th, bundled the ball over from a long cross by Gibbons-Thomas.

Two minutes before making way, Gibbons-Thomas beat a drawn out Rayensa Lion Sjin Tjoe, the Suriname substitute goalkeeper, to complete the rout.

SCORERS

Bermuda: Welch 4, 32, Gibbons-Thomas 16, 28, 63, 74, Medeiros 68

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-5-1): K Simmons—A Barry, Z Showers, J Sealey (sub: N Medeiros, 59min), T Glasgow—N Samuels (sub: C Dowling, 76), E Welch, A Taylor, D Outerbridge (sub: A James, 59), M Gibbons-Thomas (sub: M Daponte, 76). Substitutes not used: S Denkins, S Baisden-Scott, R Evans-Waldron, P Dill, K Deane, K Curling. Booked: Outerbridge, Khan

Suriname (4-3-3): F Klas (sub: R Lion Sjin Tjoe 66) — P Feller (sub: R Tapoerani 46), E Van Kallen, K Bousaid, E Indiaan (sub: R Sabajo, 46) — R Sajat, S Kertoidjojo, A Madhar (sub: D Waaldijk, 83) — C Samseij, R Scholsberg, C Cicilson (N Lamafoe, 31). Substitutes not used: C Caboelefodo, Kennysha Sabajo, K Samuel. Booked: R Sabajo

Referee: K Foster (Cayman Islands).