Barbados must defeat Saint Lucia to seal Gold Cup qualification

Barbados coach Kent Hall must rally the team ahead of the key game against Saint Lucia next week. (File Photo) Barbados slipped to their first defeat in League B Group B as hosts Guadeloupe won 3-0 during their Concacaf Nations League game on Thursday. Playing at the Stade Roger Zami, head coach Kent Hall made four changes to the squad from Barbados’ last game against Bermuda, which the Tridents won 2-1 at the BFA Technical Centre in Wildey. Having been recalled to the side, Nadre Butcher and Ackeel Applewaite both slotted into the starting eleven, while influential attacker Niall Reid-Stephen was absent from the squad. Guadeloupe made a strong start and had the lion’s share of possession in the opening minutes of the game. That time on the ball paid early dividends as Barbados goalkeeper Jamal Blackman failed to gather cleanly as Fabien Geran shot powerfully following a speedy run down the left hand side, with the loose ball being prodded home by captain Claudio Beauvue in the 10th minute. Barbados then enjoyed one of their best spells of possession of the game, which culminated in a shot from Thierry Gale being brilliantly saved by Guadeloupe goalkeeper Mathieu Philemon after a trademark run down the left from the Bolton Wanderers winger. The Tridents then had captain Andre Applewhaite to thank after his fine recovery run following a Barbados corner thwarted a promising Guadeloupe counter attack deep inside the Trident’s penalty area. You Might Be Interested In Applewhaite was, however, unable to bail Barbados out once again in the 41st minute after Omani Leacock was dispossessed on the halfway line. Guadeloupe then released the ball quickly down the flank to the speedy Ange Plumian, who showed excellent strength and composure to hold off the challenge from Applewhaite before cutting back inside the box to coolly slot the ball past goalkeeper Blackman low into the right hand corner. Barbados almost conceded in the early stages of the second half but then settled quickly before Leacock was denied by a sliding last ditch challenge when seemingly through on goal in the 61st minute. Plumian then had a golden opportunity to put Guadeloupe 3-0 up in the 63rd minute but shot high and wide with just the goalkeeper to beat. In the 66th minute Davion Thorne came on for Lemar Catlyn as coach Hall made his first substitution, with Colin Griffith entering the game at the expense of Ajani Banton moments later and Jaron Oughterson replacing Ackeel Applewaite as Barbados tried to turn the match around. Instead it was Guadeloupe who made it 3-0 following an 80th minute goal from substitute Johnathan Gamby after a pass down the right hand side bisected the Barbados defence. Barbados then narrowly avoided conceding yet again in the 88th minute as Guadeloupe went on to seal a comfortable win to the delight of the home crowd. Barbados still top the group on 10 points ahead of Saint Lucia on nine, with Guadeloupe moving up to seven points in third, ahead of Bermuda, who have yet to register a point. Guadeloupe were in a must-win situation to stand any chance of qualifying for the Concacaf Gold Cup next year, while the defeat for Barbados now puts them in a must-win situation against Saint Lucia in their top of the table clash next week if Saint Lucia beat Bermuda on Friday. (KH)