Bermuda national football team?s Digicel Cup hopes received an enormous boost following the shock elimination of defending champions Jamaica in Kingston over the weekend.

The defeated Haiti 2-0 to finish tied for second place in Group D on points and goal difference with St.Vincent who blasted St.Lucia 8-0 in their final group match.

However, St.Vincent advanced to the next round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers ? possibly to be held in Bermuda - via the head-to-head tie-breaker having astonishingly defeated Jamaica 2-1 in Kingston last week.

The final group standings ensure that a new Digicel Cup champion will be crowned early next year in Trinidad and Tobago.

And Jamaica?s demise has enhanced Bermuda?s own chances of success, as national coach Kyle Lightbourne is well aware.

?Right now I am very optimistic and even before (Jamaica?s loss) I thought we could have caused a few surprises with the squad that we now have,? Lightbourne told .

Bermuda have been grouped with Haiti, St.Vincent and the Dominican Republic in the second stage of the Gold Cup qualifiers at a venue still to be determined.

Bermuda defeated Dominican Republic 3-1 in the US Virgin Islands last Friday to clinch Group C.

The top two teams from the second stage will advance to the eight-team finals in Trinidad next January, with the top three finishers qualifying for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

And Lightbourne is confident Bermuda can at least qualify for Trinidad.

?My main aim for us is to remain active as long as possible. And with us being successful in qualifying we get another opportunity to be together and continue our progress,? he said.

?So I?m definitely looking forward to the challenge and this is something Paul Scope (assistant national coach) and myself have long been striving for because in order to enhance our programme we need to be involved in tournaments by staying in.?

As the BFA?s top brass continue their discussions with Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials over the possibility of Bermuda hosting the second round of qualifying matches, Lightbourne is keeping his fingers crossed the Island will eventually get the nod.

?I would love to see us play at home . . . we have yet to get that elusive first win on home soil. And this will be another opportunity for us to play against teams ranked above us, but still on our level,? he said.

?I think our (world) ranking (163) is basically down to the inactive periods that we have had. So we can lose a couple of spots for not playing for a couple of months, and that?s how we tend to slip down the rankings.?

So far Lightbourne is generally satisfied with his team?s performances ? though he insists there?s ?room for improvement?.

?I don?t even think most of our players have played at their full potential. And I?ve always felt that when they do, then we would have an even better chance of upsetting a few of the so-called bigger teams,? he said.

?I think the team is fairly balanced and I?m quite happy with the quality of football the team has been playing lately.?

That could it make it difficult for others to claim a spot on the team.

?Defensively we may need one or two players as cover to strengthen the squad,? Lightbourne added.

One spot up for grabs will be that of veteran defender Kentoine Jennings ? sent off during last Friday?s win over Dominican Republic.

Jennings will now have to miss Bermuda?s first Digicel Cup second round qualifying match through suspension.

Assistant national coach Scope rated Bermuda?s chances of advancing from the second qualifying stage as ?good as ever? ? though he admitted it won?t be a casual stroll in the park.

?We?ve played and beaten Dominican Republic and so they will be looking for revenge. But obviously we would be confident for that game,? he said.

?Haiti looked like they were a strong side but Jamaica beat them on Sunday night. And then I think we should be able to compete with St.Vincent.?

Bermuda drew 3-3 with St.Vincent two years ago during the inaugural Digicel Cup competition in the Caribbean.

Scope continued: ?I think we have as good a chance as we?ve ever had in this. And hopefully we can continue to improve from here.?

As for Jamaica?s demise, the die-hard Newcastle United supporter noted: ?I think we have to be happy with that situation on the basis they (Jamaica) would have been a strong side as champions, and potentially an even stronger side as the competition went on.?

CFU officials will announce the draw and venue for the next round of the Digicel Cup later this week.