Antigua 4

Bermuda 0

Kenny Thompson had refused to proclaim Bermuda as favourites to finish top of their group.

And after this horrible defensive display he was absolutely right to.

That mantle now surely passes to Antigua and Barbuda who left the completely disjointed Gombey Warriors shell-shocked after pulling off a surprise victory at the Trueman Bodden Sports Complex in Cayman Islands.

All the pre-game talk in and around the hotel, where all three visiting are staying, had been of the attacking virtues of Thompson's team. But it was Bermuda's defensive frailties which became the hot topic of conversation by the end of last night's horror show.

Whispers of their epic World Cup qualifying win over Caribbean powerhouse Trinidad had been echoing along the hotel's corridors with Antigua's and Caymans' coaches both declaring Bermuda the team to beat.

While Thompson refused to become embroiled in such mind games, he must have believed it as well.

Perhaps the players had started to buy into their pre-competition hype. Perhaps they were guilty of thinking the Leeward Islanders would be a soft touch. If so, they paid the ultimate price.

It wasn't so much that Antigua played well as Bermuda played badly. To say all four goals were charitable would be an understatement.

In the absence of defensive pillars Kevin Richards and Omar Shakir, their back-line looked worryingly brittle and whether they can plug the gaps before tomorrow's game against Caribbean minnows St.Martin must now be a real concern.

Antigua came out the starting blocks the quicker and took the lead as early as the fourth minute when Randolph Burton punished a blunder by goalkeeper Timmy Figureido.

The stand-by skipper inexplicably let the ball run between his legs allowing Burton to ghost in behind the statuesque defence and tap home.

The setback seemed to shock Bermuda into life with Damon Ming showing plenty of attacking brio down the right-wing during the early exchanges. It was the waspish winger who crafted his team's first chance, winging in a delightful cross that found Jemeiko Jennings whose shot was blocked en-route to goal.

Jennings then tried his luck from long range with a venomous strike that cannoned off the bar via the fingertips of 'keeper Keith DeCastro.

The ball bounced and bobbled around the box with John Barry Nusum the first to pounce, but the big striker's first touch betrayed him with the goal at his mercy giving DeCastro time to sweep up.

Thompson's team continued to create chances with Antigua looking just as nervy at the back as their opponents. Nusum found space down the right channel and swung in a driven cross, but Khano Smith's awkward left-foot stab trickled into the 'keeper's arms.

At the other end Antigua's energetic front men were causing Bermuda's hearts to flutter, and on 29 minutes Reggie Lambe's reckless challenge on the edge of the box had the referee pointing to the spot.

Why the winger was positioned at the heart of Bermuda's defence is anyone's guess, but in truth Roger Lee should have cut out the danger before it arrived with the youngster showing his inexperience by making a rash tackle.

Jerome Thomas made no mistake from the resulting penalty, leaving a visibly shaken Bermuda with a mountain to climb.

The second-period saw Thompson revert to Plan B shifting the ineffective Smith to his customary left-wing position from the centre, while Nusum continued to make a nuisance of himself.

But on 63 minutes disaster struck when Bermuda's leaden-footed defence were breached far too easily with Burton striking home his second.

By now Antigua's confidence was visably growing as Bermuda's belief plummeted lower than a proverbial snake's belly. Carless passing ensured throughout the second stanza as Bermuda hit bum note after bum note at both ends of the pitch.

And they should have fell further behind when Burton again found himself one-on-one with Figureido, who went some way to redeeming his earlier misdemeanour by smothering the close range shot.

But Bermuda's misery was complete on 79 minutes when Javid Joseph somehow fired in his shot while Bermuda's defenders dithered around him.

Group favourites? On this form not likely.

Bermuda: T.Figureido, R.Lee, A.Lowe D.Cox, K.Franks, D.Ming, S.Astwood (T.Steede 72) J.Jennings, R.Lambe (S.DeGraff 50) J.Barry Nusum, K.Smith. Subs not used: N.Burgess, C.Frick, C.Castle, J.Davis. Booked: Lambe

Antigua and Barbuda: K.DeCastro, R.Christian, D.Carr, K.Mack, G.Gonsales, D.Jarel, R.Burton, T.Williams (T.Mellonson 77), R.Gregory, D.Bleau, J.Thomas. Subs not used: K.Pennyfather, O.Challenger, G.Dublin, J.Joseph, R.Thomas. Booked: Carr

Referee: H.Stennett (Jamaica)

Man-of-the-Match: J.Jennings (Bermuda), R.Burton (Antigua)