Bermuda 2 Barbados 0

First-half goals from Kalen Brunson and Malachai Belboda ensured that Bermuda finished their group undefeated at the Concacaf Under-20 Qualifiers on Wednesday.

Cecoy Robinson’s side finished second in group E with eight points after Costa Rica defeated Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 to top the group and secure qualification to the Concacaf Championship.

After the game, in which Brunson found the target in the eleventh minute and Belboda doubled the lead in the twentieth, head coach Cecoy Robinson was a proud figure.

“It’s definitely a positive note for us to finish unbeaten,” Robinson told The Royal Gazette.

“I guess it’s a little disappointing for us to miss out on qualification. but at the same time these boys should be proud and it’s been a good tournament for us.

“The main thing was making sure that we get three points and finish the tournament off as strong as possible. We’ve done so well and it’s for the boys to enjoy the moment.

“It was a good game against Barbados and I thought we controlled the match. I was a little disappointed in our tempo as I thought it could have been higher.

“We could have possibly scored more goals with a higher tempo but we showed that we were the dominant team and got the result we were looking for. In the end, it was a good game for us, regardless if we didn't get the required goals that were asked.”

Needing to win by a 13-goal margin to overturn Costa Rica’s goal difference, Bermuda’s first chance came in the tenth minute when Blayze Borgesson tested the Barbados keeper’s palms.

A minute later, two days after scoring an exquisite free kick against Costa Rica, Jace Donawa delivered a crisp ball into the box, which found an unmarked Brunson and the Queen’s Park Rangers academy player put Bermuda in front.

Belboda extended Bermuda’s lead as hesitation from the Barbados defence allowed the forward to turn and shoot inside the box.

Five minutes before the break, Bermuda captain Logan Jimenez’s well-struck free kick crashed off the crossbar.

In a second half without many opportunities, Bermuda’s last chance fell to substitute Kennahz Fray in stoppage time, with his left-footed effort going wide.

Robinson believes that a number of players in the under-20 squad displayed that they deserve to represent the island at senior level.

“I think Khari Sharrieff has definitely put his name forward to be a part of the senior team, or to at least get a call,” the coach said.

“Not only him, I think there have been some really good standout performers throughout this camp that deserve to stake a claim or to be able to train with the senior team.

“That should be the direction that we should be moving in, because these boys are the future. If we’re going to do something, we need to build for the future and I think it starts here.”

Commenting on Donawa’s wonderful strike against Costa Rica getting featured on ESPN Plays of the Day, Robinson challenged the University of Carolina forward to continue striving to deliver such goals.

“That’s not on me, that’s strictly on him and his quality,” the coach added.

“Kudos to him and I hope that he gets more goals like that. Maybe he climbs the charts a little higher, but I’m really proud of him to be able to score that goal in that moment for the team.

“It’s a massive thing to do. I hope he just keeps pushing on any things that he’s doing for his career.”

SCORERS

Bermuda: Brunson 11, Belboda 20

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-3-3): C Jackson —N Grant (sub: D Smith-Davis, 57), E Peets, L Jimenez, D Coddington — K Sharrieff (sub: I Gibbons, 85), X DeRoza, J Donawa — B Borgesson (sub: K Fray, 72), M Belboda (sub: D Stewart, 72), K Brunson (sub: H Bean-Fox, 64). Substitutes not used: D Martin, D Powell, M Tear-De Leon, Q Raynor

Barbados (4-4-2) B Everet (sub: K Cunningham, 64) — K Wade (sub: A Dallaway 53), K Johnson, K Bruce (sub: D Harewood, 53) A Layne (sub: E Bridgeman-Seale, 64) — A Payne, R Bourne, T Moore, Z Yard — R Jacobs (sub: J Bryan, 53), T Jones. Substitutes not used: J Gomez, M Clarke, R Lee

Referee: M Gaymes (St Vincent & the Grenadines).