October 9, 2024
The first match of the latest International break was a Concacaf Nations League game in St Kitts.
St Kitts and Nevis
Football in St Kitts and Nevis has appeared once before in these diaries, when a local league match between St Paul’s United and Newtown United in March 2023 was covered. The only player from that game to feature today was Newtown United midfielder Yohannes Mitchum ( 41 caps ) although St Paul’s Kalonji Clarke was an unused substitute.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2023/03/st-pauls-united-2-3-newtown-united-att.html
St Kitts and Nevis are currently 141st in FIFA’s rankings, having been as high as 73rd in March 2017. They were surprisingly relegated to Nations League C are finishing bottom of their group in the 2023/24 competition, losing four out of their six matches in group containing Guadeloupe, St Lucia and Sint Maarten.
St Kitts and Nevis had made a strong start in their bid to return to Nations League B, winning 4-1 against the Cayman Islands and 2-0 against British Virgin Islands in games played in September in the Cayman Islands. Tiquanny Williams, who plays for Old Road Jets in St Kitts, scored twice in both matches, and now had 10 goals in 18 matches for The Sugar Boyz.
In their World Cup qualification group St Kitts and Nevis lost their first match 0-4 in Costa Rica but then beat The Bahamas 1-0 at home. Also in their group are Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada, with the top two moving on to the next qualification stage. Each team is played only once, and St Kitts and Nevis have to travel to Trinidad and finish with a home game against Grenada.
Captain and keeper Juliani Archibald ( 67 caps ) plays his club football in Honduras for CD Platense. The other foreign based players in their squad were Raheem Hanley ( 16 caps ) of North West Counties League side West Didsbury & Chorlton, and 18 year old Kyle Kelly ( 4 caps ) of Liverpool Under 21s. Former Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, Brentford and Walsall midfielder Romaine Sawyers ( 45 caps ) is currently unattached
A number of English based players who had appeared this year for St Kitts and Nevis were not in the current squad. These included Oxford City defender Andre Burley, Crawley Town defensive midfielder Jay Williams, Ebbsfleet United winger Omari Sterling James, Aldershot forward Kwame Thomas and Eastleigh midfielder Tyrese Shade. Also absent were Llanelli Town’s Theo Wharton and forward Harry Panayiotou who plays for Maltese side Sirens.
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory and consists of over 50 islands and cays in the Leeward Islands. The main islands are Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Joost Van Dyke, and the capital is Road Town on Tortola. The population is estimated at around 35,000 and the main industries are financial services and tourism. Sailing is the most popular sport.
The BVI national football team are currently 208th in the FIFA rankings, the third lowest with only Anguilla and San Marino below them. However, in March this year they progressed past the First Qualifying Round of the World Cup for the first time ever when they eliminated the US Virgin Islands on penalties after a 1-1 away draw and a 0-0 draw in Tortola. In their group they have so far lost 0-3 at home to Guatemala and 0-4 in Dominican Republic. Jamaica and Dominica are also in their group.
So far in the Nations League, BVI had lost 0-1 to Cayman Islands and 0-2 to St Kitts and Nevis. Both matches were played in the Cayman Islands.
Known as The Nature Boyz, BVI beat Turks and Caicos Islands 3-1 in March 2023 but prior to that their last victory was back in 2012 when they beat Anguilla 1-0 in a friendly.
The BVI starting line-up included three players with Southern League Premier South clubs in England. Striker Tyler Forbes ( 20 caps ) and midfielder Miguel Marshall ( 22 caps ) play for Poole Town, whilst midfielder Luka Chalwell ( 18 caps ) is with Winchester City. With four goals, Forbes is second in the all-time goalscoring charts for BVI. Left back Troy Caesar is the record cap holder with 30 appearances.
T’Sharne Gallimore of National League South Chesham United was missing, possibly prioritising their FA Cup tie against Bath City ? Gallimore has previously featured in these diaries for Chesham at Didcot.
Right sided midfielder Kristian Javier plays his football in the lower leagues in the USA but all the rest of players in the XI played for teams in the BVI National League, which has 10 sides. 39-year-old goalkeeper Simon Cross, who plays for Champions Wolues, was listed as a midfielder by both Wikipedia and his club’s website, was making his debut for the Nature Boyz.
The BVI coach was ex-Ipswich, Arsenal and QPR forward Chris Kiwomya.
Matchday Information
The match was being played at Warner Park in
Basseterre in St Kitts, with the football ground located next door to the
larger cricket stadium. Only around 50 spectators were in the ground at the kick-off,
but the supporters continued to file into the ground as the match continued,
and there were officially 1,004 people watching at the finish. Admission to the game was free.
The weather at the 15.30 kick-off local time ( 20:30 UK ) was sunny with temperatures around 31 degrees.
The match was live streamed on the CONCACAF YouTube channel.
Bet365 made St Kitts and Nevis 11/50 favourites, with BVI at 15/2 and the draw at 9/2
St Kitts were in an all-red kit, whilst BVI were in all green. The referee was Vimarest Diaz, who comes from Venezuela, although she is now listed as being from the Dominican Republic, hence officiating in CONCACAF matches.
Match Report :
After a quiet beginning to the game, Tiquanny Williams was brought down near the corner flag for a free kick to St Kitts, but the in-swinging delivery was headed out at the near post.
In the 7th minute Willimas was put free down the right wing and his pull back found Nequan Browne, who blazed first time across goal but well wide. G’Vaune Amory then sent a long range shot but Cross was able to make an easy save.
With 12 minutes played, after a lay-off by Amory, a left-footed shot from Williams from just outside the area was unconvincingly saved by Cross for a corner.
The first yellow card was produced in the 19th minute for a high foot by Tiquanny Williams on centre-back Justin Smith. The first time BVI were seen attacking in the St Kitts half a long throw was comfortably headed away. The yellow cards were soon evened up when Omari Simmons scythed down Mitchum.
The home side’s pressure was rewarded with the first goal of the game. A free kick from Mervin Lewis was delivered to beyond the far post for Malique Roberts to head across goal to score from a tight angle. 1-0 after 24 minutes.
Williams continued to look lively for St Kitts and beat two defenders, but his cross was intercepted by his namesake in the BVI side, Ikyjah Williams.
With 30 minutes played, Amory cut in from the left and his 20-yard effort produced another unconvincing save from Cross, who pushed it away for another corner.
Shortly after, a side footed volley across goal from Mitchum struck the post and was put off for a corner, which was sent low towards the near post but Lewis turned it well wide.
BVI were guilty of some poor defending when a long ball from Henley was missed by Williams, and Amory was able to run onto it to easily finish from 10 yards. 2-0 with 36 minutes played.
BVI responded with an attack of their own, but although their free kick bounced around inside the St Kitts area, keeper Archibald claimed the loose ball, and offside was awarded in any case.
The home continued to be on top and after ball into the BVI area, Williams flicked the ball over his marker but was unable to latch onto it, and the keeper ultimately gathered.
As a brief shower hit the ground, a St Kitts cross from the left was headed against his own post by Simmons and went off for a corner.
At half-time St Kitts fully deserved their two-goal lead, and the gap in the FIFA rankings looked obvious to see.
However, with the home side sleeping at the start of the second period, just 23 seconds into the half Javier ran down the right hand channel and from just inside the area sent a shot into the far corner to unexpectedly reduce the deficit . 2-1 in the 46th minute.
St Kitts were rattled and a minute later a free kick from the halfway line was launched towards the St Kitts area where Archibald came out to punch away. Despite looking very close to being outside of his area, play was allowed to continue.
St Kitts nearly restored their two-goal advantage when Williams got to the left hand byline and played a ball across the 6 yard line but Dionis Stephen on the stretch couldn’t make contact, and after the ball was recycled and crossed back into the danger zone, Stephen headed wide.
After looking toothless in the first half, BVI were now looking much more dangerous, and a long free kick reached Forbes, whose left footed shot hit the side netting. Forbes then went on a mazy run and was brought down just outside the area. Chalwell’s free kick sailed over the wall but also a few feet wide.
In the 60th minute, the home defence failed to deal with another long bouncing ball. Forbes flicked on to Azarni Callwood, whose left footed shot went into the side netting.
The St Kitts defending again failed to inspire confidence when another ball into the area bounced around and reached Callwood, but the BVI substitute had the ball taken off his toes in the act of shooting.
St Kitts finally stirred with Lewis having a long-range effort blocked, and then they forced two corners. Then a cross found Williams free at the far post but the header went wide when it looked easier to score. Stephen played in Williams, but under pressure his shot was mishit and trickled harmlessly wide.
The game was now very open, and Callwood showed good skill close to the halfway line and ran towards the St Kitts area only to be brought down just outside the 18 yard line. Callwood took the free kick but sent it into the defensive wall.
Liverpool youth player Kelly was then tripped by Smith just outside the BVI area after a good run. Kelly took the free kick himself, but it lacked power and Cross made another save to parry the ball away for a corner.
The impressive Callwood was then fouled again 30 yards out, but the free kick was wasted, and St Kitts broke quickly. Tyquan Terrell’s low ball into the BVI area saw Williams slide in but he could only deflect the ball wide for a goal kick.
With two minutes of normal time remaining, Forbes and Callwood again combined but the substitute’s long-range attempt was weak and trickled wide.
Five added minutes were to be played, and with just about the final play of the game, a flowing move saw Sawyers dummy a pass from Terrell and run onto the return ball, and then drilled the ball across the goal mouth. The ball hit the unlucky Williams and flew into the roof of the net for an own goal. 3-1 after 95 minutes.
The final scoreline was slightly unjust for the BVI who were striving for an equaliser before conceding an unfortunate own goal. The introduction of 18-year-old striker Callwood at half-time completely changed the pattern of the game, and BVI looked anything but the third worse country in the world. In Azarni Callwood they look to have a player to watch for the future.
St Kitts and Nevis were dominant in the first half but faded badly. However, they have secured their return to Nations League B.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsSoaCXxOj0
St Kitts & Nevis : Archibald – Hanley, Liburd, Roberts – Stephen ( Terrell ), Browne, Lewis, Mitchum ( Kelly ), Amory ( Burt ) – Williams, Rogers ( Sawyers )
British Virgin Islands : Cross – Simmons ( Thomas ), Williams, Smith, Caesar – Javier ( Morton ), Abrams ( Callwood ), Chalwell, Marshall, – Lacey, Forbes
No comments:
Post a Comment