It has been about eight months since The Bahamas senior men’s national soccer team experienced action on the pitch. They will return to play tomorrow when they take on Trinidad and Tobago in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The pivotal match gets underway at 4 p.m.
This will be the third time in the last two years that these two teams play each other with the first one ending in a 0-0 stalemate and the second one ending 1-0 in favor of the Trinidad and Tobago ‘Soca Warriors’ last June. The third time just may be a charm for Team Bahamas as they look for a favorable decision this time. According to assistant head coach for Team Bahamas Kevin Davies, preparation will be a key aspect.
“I don’t think it has much to do with luck but how you prepare,” Davies said at a press conference at the Bahamas National Beach Soccer Stadium yesterday. “The team has been preparing well. I always try to keep a positive mindset, regardless of the situation. I always try to keep the message positive to help motivate them. They are playing on the national team and they should be self-motivated by having the Bahamian flag on their chests. That should be motivation in itself. If we stick to our game plan and execute, I think we will come out with a good result.”
The Bahamas has only scored one goal in the current Nations League competition and has been defending for most part. Davies said they are looking to open up more. He said he has seen an improvement over the last eight months.
“We have been preparing and I have seen some great improvement in a lot of the guys like Omari Bain who has shown that he has an ability to find the back of the net. There is Peter Julmis who is also capable of striking. In the midfield, we have Christopher Rahming, Marcel Joseph, Elijah Mitchell who are very capable of finding the back of the net. These are young and hungry guys who want to prove to the team and nation that they can do it. I am confident that they can do it. We have a few games under our belt and I see the improvement in the team. I am very confident that they will perform to the best of they abilities on Friday (tomorrow),” Davies said.
Bain, who plays the midfield position, was available for all but one game of the Nations League competition so far, due to an injury. He is more than ready for this game, having spent some time in Spain developing as a player.
“I am happy with how the team has been preparing so far. I returned from Spain and it is great to be home with the team. We have been preparing for this match both on and off the field. We have been mentally and physically preparing for this match. We did well in the warmup matches against Turks and Caicos and I have no doubt in my mind that we aren’t going to have any complications in terms of technical ability of the team,” Bain said.
Nicolas Lopez, who is also a midfielder, returned home from school to train with the team on Monday. He is looking forward to playing in his first 2022-2023 Nations League competition.
“There are few faces on the team that I know and a few who I am looking forward to meeting and working with. It is great to be back in that environment. I am looking forward to Friday,” Lopez said.
Sports Officer from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Adam Miller cited a study that showed that The Bahamas had the youngest senior national men’s team in the world last year. That study, from the International Center of Sports Studies, looked at over 150 men’s teams average age. He encouraged Bahamians to come out and support the team.
“The BFA (Bahamas Football Association) is willing to not only invest in the youth but also give opportunities to the players to represent their country at the men’s level. I want to commend the coaching staff and technical staff of the BFA on their preparation for these Nation League games. Good luck to the players on their quest to play in the Nations League and represent The Bahamas,” said Miller.
Davies urged the public to come out and support the team as they have been working out for months to prepare for this game.
“The Bahamian public can expect a group of young men who have been working hard who is ready to put everything on the line for this game. They are excited and they want to prove that they can play with the big boys in the region. I can assure you that they will have a good showing and we will have them prepped and ready to go. I always try to preach a positive message,” Davies said.
The Bahamas sits in third place in its group with a 1-3 win/loss record and three points. Trinidad and Tobago is in second place with a 3-1 record and nine points. In its second game in this window, The Bahamas will head to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to play that nation. St. Vincent and the Grenadines sport a 0-1-3 win/draw/loss record and have one point. They sit in fourth place in the group. The Bahamas’ only win in the group came against St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a 1-0 victory.
The Bahamas takes on St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday in an away fixture.