Barbados surrendered top spot of Group C in League B of the Concacaf W Gold Cup Qualifiers last night, after they went down to the Dominican Republic on Match Day Two of the competition.
After an impressive opening game, where they won 5-0 versus St Vincent & the Grenadines, the Lady Tridents were defeated 3-0 at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez.
Barbados’ defeat and Bermuda’s triumph over St Vincent & the Grenadines (4-0) means that Bermuda are in first place in the group with six points from two matches. Barbados, despite losing, are in second place with three points – the same as the Dominican Republic. However, the Lady Tridents have a superior goal average of +2.
St Vincent & the Grenadines are winless, goalless, and pointless in the competition and reside at the bottom of the group.
Barbados started the game brightly and were almost rewarded for their enthusiasm in the 6th minute, but Acacia Small’s right footed effort from just inside the box was parried for a corner by Dominican custodian Odaliana Gomez.
Barbados’ goalkeeper Kamilah Burke had a tough day at the office versus Dominican Republic in the latest round of matches in the Concacaf W Gold Cup Qualifiers.
In the 20th minute it was Tridents’ goalkeeper and captain Kamilah Burke’s turn to display her goalkeeping skills and she produced a brilliant foot save to deny Vanessa Kara from point blank, and 10 yards from the goal.
After being denied by Burke the first time, Kara made amends in the 39th minute.
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A cross from the right by Lynette Urena found Maria Torreira inside the penalty area and her delicate pass into Kara, allowed the sharpshooter to shoot the ball between the legs of Burke from inside the six-yard box, to give the host a 1-0 lead.
Barbados found themselves down 2-0 in the 53rd minute, as Winibian Peralta’s corner kick from the right was met aggressively at the far post by Brianne Reed, whose header squeezed between the post and defender Shauntae Hinds.
Two minutes later Kara doubled her goal tally, while increasing the lead to 3-0.
Miscommunication between Hinds and center back Adrienne Forde saw the ball falling favourably to Kara, who quickly dribbled into the penalty area and passed the ball precisely into the bottom, left corner, beyond the on-rushing Burke.
