Antigua 0, Bermuda 3 ST JOHNS, Antigua -- Bermuda's journey in the World Cup qualifying phase gained momentum on Sunday at Antigua's Recreation Ground when they put three goals past one of the strongest defences in Caribbean soccer in this first-leg, first-round match.

And unless Antigua have their top scorer Derek Edwards -- 22 goals in 24 international matches -- back from a hairline fracture on his left foot they can consider this tie as good as lost when they travel to Bermuda for the second leg on July 4. Antigua need to win by four goals to avoid elimination and might be better off putting their energies into winning the Caribbean Cup, which starts this week in Trinidad and Tobago.

The size of Bermuda's win was all the more astonishing because top scorer Shawn Goater had a quiet game and was eventually substituted.

The goals came from midfielders Kenny Thompson, Paul Cann and Kentoine Jennings, though there was a long period between Thompson's 19th-minute opener and Cann's second goal in the 71st minute when Antigua looked like coming back into the game.

"I thought we did extremely well for the first 20 minutes when we got our first goal but then strayed away from what we planned to do,'' manager Gary Darrell said afterwards.

"We allowed them to come into the game and we could very easily have gone in tied 1-1 at the half with the way Antigua came on and the way we dropped off.

'' Bermuda took the game to their opponents and created their first chance after just 13 seconds and their first corner after 49 seconds. That promising start did wonders for the team's confidence as the crowd of 2,200, which included several Bermuda fans -- amongst them former Sports Minister Harry Soares -- saw the visitors hold the upper hand. Kenny Thompson, who hit the post after being put through by Goater in the 14th minute, broke the deadlock later with a shot from 20 yards that deflected off a defender. It was his first international goal.

Sammy Swan just failed to connect with a Cann cross at the far post in the 21st minute.

Gradually, Antigua came back into the game as Beverly Deterville, their best player and one of five remaining from the team's last match against Bermuda, was given space in midfield.

Bermuda goalkeeper Dwayne Adams made an important save at the feet of teenager Gary Gonsalves in the 31st minute but otherwise he had a reasonably quiet game as his defence played well.

Antigua kept on the pressure early in the second half in their desperate bid to produce the equaliser. They made their first substitution in the 57th minute, bringing on Veron Edwards for Everton Gonsalves as Bermuda responded by placing Sammy Swan with Phillip Clarke in the 63rd minute.

His inclusion boosted the Bermuda attack and the big striker had a hand in the second goal by Cann, returning to the Bermuda team and playing against a Caribbean outfit for the first time.

Goater collected Clarke's pass and fed Cann on the right side of the penalty box and Cann raced through to score from an acute angle.

Antigua had little to offer after that as Kentoine Jennings completed the scoring with his first goal for the Bermuda senior team.

Jennings helped set up the move, which resulted with Albert Caisey's scorcher being tipped over the bar for a corner. It was from Thompson's resulting corner that Jennings scored with a firm header at the far post.

"It (the win) was a bit easier than I expected, but overall I thought their team was better than the one we played in Bermuda,'' said Darrell. "They played more football.'' He added: "A good result would have been not to lose or maybe a one-goal win.

I wasn't looking for any more than that, just to go away without conceding a goal and because of a tie situation to score a goal in case the away goal rule came into play.

"There are still some things we need to do if we are going to compete favourable in the round robin. There is still room for improvement. It's not something that can't be put right.'' Antigua: K.Green; S.Gomez, I.Luke, G.Richards, V.West; D. Greenaway, A.Isaac, B.Deterville, Q.Clarke (J.Christopoher, 73 mins); G.Gonsalves, E.Gonsalves (V.Edwards, 57 mins).

Bermuda: D.Adams; M.Wade, S.Smith, L.Stevens, A.Caisey; K.Thompson, P.Cann, K.Jennings, V.Astwood; S.Goater (K.Lightbourne, 80 mins), S.Swan (P.Clarke, 63 mins).

Referee: Neil Smith (Jamaica).

Linesmen: Constantine Morgan, Peter Predergast (both of Jamaica).

Men of the match: Beverly Deterville (Antigua); Paul Cann (Bermuda).

GOAL HERO -- Kenny Thompson's goal after 19 minutes paved the way for Bermuda's 3-0 victory in Antigua on Sunday. Here, he gets off a pas before Quentin clarke can close in.

CLOSE ATTENTION -- Bermuda midfielder Voorhees Astwood (14) has his sights on Gary Gonsalves.