Down and almost out!
Goals conceded in the ninth and 70th minutes sealed the national team’s fate, and they now face the task of having to beat the same opposition by at least two goals when the teams meet again tomorrow night if they are to progress through to next week’s eight-team finals.
Given their typically limited preparation, injury absentees and a horribly tiring journey to the Caribbean, it always appeared likely that the team would be up against it in these games — though the truly dire nature of Bermuda’s performance for most of the 90 minutes was a shock.
Ponderous and often disorganised at the back without the inspirational injured skipper Kentoine Jennings and largely impotent in attack despite an imposing-looking forward line, in truth Kyle Lightbourne’s side were lucky not to lose by three or four more goals as the Haitians — who did not appear to be firing on all cylinders either — laboured at times to make the most of their overwhelming possession.
As expected, Somerset Trojans’ Meshach Wade was drafted into the Bermuda starting eleven as a replacement for Jennings at the heart of defence while UK-based winger Damon Ming started on the right as part of a bold, attacking midfield formation with Domico Coddington on the left and Kwame Steede and Jelani Scott occupying the centre.
For their part, Haiti came into the match without the services of one of their best players — Jean Jacques Jamil of USL Division One team Miami FC, who scored four goals from midfield in the first two phases of the competition before reportedly falling out with the Haiti Football Association over money.
In the days before the game, meanwhile, representatives from sponsors Digicel had done their best to track down a recording of the Haitian national anthem, but emerged from the search empty-handed — forcing a decidedly reluctant Haitian team to screech their way through the lengthy piece without the aid of music in the minutes before kick-off.
But one thing was for sure; the Haitians certainly play football a lot better than they sing, and were all over a static Bermuda in the opening ten minutes with their fluid passing and movement.
Only moments after their highly-rated striker Jean Baptiste Fritzon missed a sitter of a chance from five yards out with only seven minutes gone, right-sided winger Brunel Fucien began what would be a fruitful afternoon for him by getting clear of full back Blenn Bean before centring to the tall Cadet Eliphene, who rose completely unchallenged just in front of the centre circle to bury the ball past a helpless Nigel Burgess.
The goal did nothing to rouse the team from their slumber, however, as Bermuda continued to appear hesitant and unsure of themselves, giving the ball away all-too frequently in midfield and stringing hardly any kind of threatening attacks together as their forward players found themselves constantly under pressure to track back.
Eliphene forced a good save out of Burgess on 37 minutes with a shot from 20 yards that the ‘keeper did well to save diving to his right while Bermuda registered their only strike on target in the first half with a flicked John Barry Nusum header that was comfortably saved.
At only 1-0 down at half-time, Bermuda would have been counting their blessings that the situation was not far worse — though in truth, apart from the goal, Haiti were simply not taking advantage of some good positions in the final third of the field.
And no doubt stirred by some choice words during the interval, Bermuda began the second half in a much livelier fashion, as Ming, Kwame Steede and Jelani Scott finally managed to establish some sort of foothold in the centre of the park.
Even with Bermuda improving though, Haiti still looked the more likely to score — as Eliphene spurned a good chance on 67 minutes after breaking clear of Wade only to then fire wide with just the ‘keeper to beat.
But the pressure was eventually to tell as Wade was caught in possession once again and then left for dead by the lightning pace of substitute Lormera Roody, who rounded Burgess before calmly slipping the ball into the empty net.
Just before the second goal went in to dampen any lingering hopes of an equaliser, Lightbourne brought off New England Revolution striker Khano Smith — who had been largely anonymous — and replaced him with Shaki Crockwell, in hope of some fresh inspiration.
However it was just not to be, as Nusum missed a straightforward header to nick a goal back and Haiti continued to pour forward in the latter stages with little respite, leaving a now-tiring Bermuda side consistently stretched and on the back foot.
Speaking afterwards, a dejected Lightbourne admitted Bermuda’s lack of match practice since the second phase of the competition in September had cost the team dear.
“We didn’t start the game well at all and we looked a little heavy-legged at times, which is not particularly surprising given our preparation,” he said.
“Everyone is familiar with our circumstances and it’s a problem we’ve often talked about before. It’s not something you can blame the players for — it’s not their fault.
“As it was, we gave the ball away far too often in the early part of the game and it looked at one stage is if Haiti would dominate us for the entire 90 minutes.
“We didn’t put enough pressure on their goal, but to be honest for large parts of the game they didn’t put too much pressure on us either. As long as we were only one goal down I thought we had a chance because we started the second half a lot better and showed some good heart and fight.
“”But conceding the second goal really killed us and after that we were fortunate not to concede more.
“We’ve still got one more game though. I’m not going to pretend it’s not going to be tough. We’ll have to play a lot better than we did today that’s for sure.”
Bermuda: <$>N.Burgess, K.Richards, M.Wade (D.Zuill 78 mins), D.Cox, B.Bean, D.Ming, K.Steede (S.Astwood 70 mins), J.Scott, D.Coddington, J.Barry Nusum, K.Smith (S.Croell 70 mins)
Haiti:<$> F.Gabard, G.Stehpane, B.Fucien, C.Eliphene (D.Gilles 83 mins), B.Alexandre, J.Baptiste Fritzon (L.Roody 47 mins), B.Pieere Richard, C.Mones, R.Ednerson, V.Alain, M.Josue
Men of the Match: C.Eliphene (Hi); K.Richards (Bermuda)
Referee:<$> Neal Brizan (Trinidad and Tobago)
