Surinam 6 Bermuda 0

Surinam proved too strong for a new-look Bermuda side in a thumping defeat in their World Cup qualifying group B match last night at the Frank Essed Stadion in Paramaribo.

Nigel Hasselbaink led the scoring with a hat-trick, while winger Sheraldo Becker scored twice and defender Shaquille Pinas got the final goal midway through the second half.

Bermuda found themselves 2-0 down after just 15 minutes and never recovered as Kyle Lightbourne’s team suffered another setback in the 19th minute when captain Lejaun Simmons went off on a stretcher with a groin injury.

It was Simmons’s first match as captain of the team following the recent retirement of skipper Dante Leverock. Left-back Eusebio Blankendal, one of three locally based players in the starting team, took over the armband for the first time as Bermuda faced an uphill battle to get back into the game.

“Obviously we didn’t get off to a good start and that was our own fault for allowing that situation to happen,” coach Kyle Lightbourne admitted.

“We kept trying to fight hard and push forward, but we were just far too sloppy as a team.

“I’m sure there will be some criticism to come and there won’t be any excuses, there is a lot of work to be done.

“We knew it was always going to be tough and on the night we just couldn’t match them. We have to give them credit, take this result on the chin and move on from it.”

Surinam kept the pressure on Canada at the top of the group with their third straight win ahead of their head-to-head clash that will decide the team to advance to the second round of the Concacaf qualifying.

Bermuda close out their group matches when they meet Cayman Islands at the IMG Academy Complex in Bradenton, Florida next Tuesday.

“Losing Lejaun so early was difficult,” Lightbourne admitted. “He pulled his thigh and he will definitely be out of the Cayman game.

“Qualification was always going to be difficult with only one team progressing and we had hoped to be able to get something out of this game.

“Now it is all about finishing on a good note and coming away with a win against Cayman Islands.”

Surinam were in front after just three minutes when Sheraldo Becker scored on a rebound from goalkeeper Dale Eve’s blocked effort after he was exposed following a poor clearance by defender Tahzeiko Harris. Becker scored into the far corner from an angle on the left side of the six-yard box.

The hosts doubled their lead minutes later when Nigel Hasselbaink started and finished a move inside the box.

Chances were all going Surinam’s way with Bermuda forced into an early substitution with Keishon Bean replacing the injured Simmons.

Bermuda earned their first corner in the 28th minute and moments later had their first chance when Luke Robinson, a bright spark for Bermuda in the first 45 minutes, cut in from the left before his shot was easily saved by the Surinam goalkeeper.

Two more goals in the space of a minute doubled the Surinam lead and effectively put the match out of Bermuda’s reach late in the first half.

Becker side-footed past Eve following a cross from the right in the 35th minute.

The fourth goal came quickly after that, when a wayward pass in defence by Harris was picked up by Hasselbaink before he beat Eve with his shot from outside the box for his second goal.

Jomei Bean-Lindo, kept busy in the heart of the defence, became the game’s first booking in the 55th minute following a foul on the edge of the box.

From the resulting free kick, Florian Josefzoon’s shot was headed for the top corner before a brilliant save from Eve kept it out.

Hasselbaink was not to be denied nine minutes later when he completed his hat-trick after Tjaronn Chery ran through down the right flank, after the Bermuda defence had been stretched. He crossed for Hasselbaink to score from close range and complete his second hat-trick in as many games.

Surinam made a triple substitution in the 65th minute, with one of the changes, Mitchell te Vrede putting a free header just wide of the near post soon after.

The rout was completed five minutes later when an inswinging corner on the right by Chery saw a looping header from Pinas find the back of the net.

Bermuda made a double substitution in the 72nd minute with Jordan Outerbridge and Enrique Russell coming on for Luke Robinson and Kole Hall. Azende Furbert later replaced Bean-Lindo who was on a yellow card.

TEAMS

Surinam (4-3-3): W Hahn - K Leerdam, R Donk (sub: R Leeuwin, 66), S Pinas, R Haps - T Chery, R Koolwijk, D Biseswar (sub: M Donald, 66) - F Jozefzoon (sub: I Comvalius, 80), N Hasselbaink (sub: M te Vrede, 66), S Becker (sub: D Apai, 79). Substitutes not used: D Malone, R Alberg, D Dankerlui, G Vlitjer, C Kohinoor, M Abena, I Kort. Booked: M Donald.

Bermuda (4-3-3): D Eve - T Tucker, T Harris, J Bean-Lindo (sub: A Furbert, 81), E Blankendal - W Clemons, R Lee, R Jones (sub: D Richardson, 46) - L Robinson (sub: J Outerbridge, 72), K Hall (sub: E Russell, 72), L Simmons (sub: K Bean, 19). Substitutes not used: D Bell, C Robinson, D Usher, Q Hunt, L Steede-Jackson, R Jones, J Bell. Booked: J Bean-Lindo

SCORERS

Surinam

Becker 3, 35; Hasselbaink 15, 36, 64; Pinas 73

Referee: Mario Escobar