Bermuda seal thrilling win over Martinique - Royal Gazette

Bermuda edged Martinique 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller at the Caribbean Football Union Under-14 Challenge in Jamaica yesterday.

Naquita Robinson’s team prevailed at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on a brace each from strikers Katherine Bean-Rosario and K’Xiyae Gibbons.

Bermuda went into the match determined to bounce back from a heavy 5-1 defeat against Dominican Republic in their tournament opener two days earlier and did just that to leave coach Robinson grinning from ear to ear.

“It was a very good game,” she said. “I asked the girls to make sure they came out playing hard, that it’s no pressure on them, and that’s what we did.

“We came out and realised their weaknesses very early and capitalised on them.

“We scored a very good goal, through K’Xiyae Gibbons, so that lifted our spirits a lot.

“This is a fantastic group of girls and it’s a learning process. We are just building and so they are all a part of the process.”

Bermuda appeared to have had the game all but wrapped up after taking a 3-1 lead into the break.

However, Martinique rallied in the second half, scoring two unanswered goals to level the game before Gibbons netted the game winner to secure Bermuda’s first win at the tournament.

“We gave the ball away a couple of times and made some silly errors,” Robinson added

“Once we didn’t clear the ball, another time we allowed the player to run straight through and ended up fouling her in the box and giving up a penalty. But it’s a learning process and these girls are learning.”

Bermuda will now face unbeaten tournament hosts Jamaica in their final match tomorrow.

“Jamaica just defeated Dominican 4-2 and Dominican obviously defeated us so now it’s a mind game,” Robinson said. “They (Jamaica) are strong but I think we will match them.”

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