Ignore their FIFA ranking, ignore their two-and-a-half-years in the international wilderness, and ignore the fact this was their coach's first match in charge.

Puerto Rico can certainly play.

And play they did, forcing Bermuda to chase blue shadows around the NSC like a little brother desperate for a touch of an elder siblings football during a wholly dominant second-half.

Other than a opportunist snap-shot from Nahki Wells and a guilt-edge chance by Aljame Zuill, Keith Tucker's team rarely troubled Puerto Rico's defensive twin towers who kept last month's hat-trick hero safely under lock and key.

Featuring a quartet from USL-D1 pro-outfit Puerto Rico Islanders, also coached by former Northern Ireland international Colin Clarke, the Caribbean islanders played with familiarity and purpose, closing down in packs and attacking in numbers.

Conversely, Bermuda's lone striker Zuill cut a forlorn and isolated figure without sufficient support from wide-men Damon Ming and Lashaun Dill who dropped deeper and deeper on defensive duty.

It is unlikely next month's World Cup qualifying opponents the Cayman Islands will be as organised, or as physical, as Puerto Rico and that should serve as some solace to Tucker who will surely demand a more forceful showing from his players tomorrow night.

At least the first-half saw Bermuda hold their own, playing in attractive spurts, but without ever threatening to take control of proceedings with Puerto Rico enjoying the superior swathes of possession.

The flashpoint during this better period came on 35 minutes when Keishen Bean threaded a wonderful pass through to Zuill who escaped his markers with only the keeper to beat.

It was the sort of opportunity Zuill usually thrives on, but inexplicably his predatory instincts betrayed him at this crucial time as he harmlessly squirted his effort wide with the outside of his boot.

Another telling moment for Bermuda was the forced substitution of teenage midfielder Nahki Wells who delivered another brief display full of attacking promise and brio. They say the young are fearless and Wells was one of the few who seemed to show Puerto Rico little respect. After all, Bermuda were the home team.

Willing to run beyond the frontman, Wells crafted his own chance by mugging a sleepy defender before bursting into the box and forcing a corner with a left-foot snap shot.

In his absence they lacked teeth in attack and when they conceded on 47 minutes through defender Taylor Graham who steamed in unattended to head home a corner, defeat was written on the wall.

Puerto Rico grew in statue with substitute Andres Cabrero running the midfield show and scoring on 67 minutes with a curling left-foot strike from distance after picking up a loose ball.

Tucker responded by bringing on the muscular presence of Stevie Astwood who tried to get his team going, but by then the visitors were well and truly enjoying their return to the international arena.