Bermuda 2

Grenada 2

The first of two friendly internationals with Grenada finished all square last night at the National Sports Centre after Bermuda played the final 40 minutes with ten men in the wake of the dismissal of Terrance Webb.

The second booking for the left wing back left Bermuda at a disadvantage as legs began to tire, although the home side almost snatched a dramatic late winner when substitute Antwan Russell and Zeiko Lewis had efforts saved by the Grenada goalkeeper Jason Belfon in the final minute of the match. First, the Grenadian dived to his left to stop Russell’s effort and then threw his body in front of Lewis’s effort from the rebound.

Andrew Bascome, the Bermuda head coach, used the match to look at some of his younger players in the national squad, college and overseas-based players in particular, as he opted for a back three of William White, Jarreau Hayward and Mauriq Hill, with Webb and Donte Brangman playing farther forward as wing backs. Justin Donawa, who has spent a lot of his time at the stadium as one of the Island’s top triple jumpers, got a starting role up front with British-based Rai Simons and Jahnai Raynor, of PHC.

Understandably, the formation took some getting used to, as many of the Bermuda players adjusted to playing together for the first time. Grenada found a way through in the 20th minute when Shane Rennie took a pass on the edge of the box, raced through and then slotted his low shot into the far corner past the right hand of goalkeeper Detre Bell, another player back from overseas for the two matches.

Even the extravagant flips by goalkeeper Belfon, whose celebrations carried into the Bermuda half, failed to get a reaction from the home crowd. But Rai Simons’s equaliser two minutes later certainly did.

The Ilkeston striker showed what he has been learning in England with a smart finish after racing through on the right and driving his low shot into the bottom corner at the far post. The 19-year-old, whose mission is to get a starting role in the World Cup qualifiers against Bahamas, certainly gave the head coach something to think about, as he later had a hand in Bermuda’s second.

Bermuda were starting to play with some confidence now and an inswinging free kick from Lewis, the grandson of former Bermuda forward Fred “Pinks” Lewis, went untouched across a crowded penalty area. However, the visiting side were unlucky not to regain the lead soon after when Shane Rennie’s header smashed against the crossbar after the defence allowed him a free header at a corner.

The half ended with yellow cards for Bermuda’s Webb and captain Taurean Manders for late tackles. But there was something more for Bermuda to smile about two minutes into stoppage time when a move on the left side resulted in Simons laying a square pass to Jahnai Raynor inside the box for the PHC man’s left-footed effort to find the far corner. Nice build-up, good finish and Bermuda went in at the half 2-1 up.

Hill became Bermuda’s third player booked early in the second half for a foul on Moron Phillip and it got worse for the home side six minutes into the second half when Webb was shown a second yellow for pulling the shirt of Wendell Rennie as he eluded him down the right side.

Bascome tried filling the gap by switching Raynor to Webb’s position, but eventually made his first substitution, bringing on Jalen Harvey for Donawa. Grenada gained momentum as Raynor limped off to be replaced by Cecoy Robinson, his PHC team-mate. This necessitated Bermuda switching to four at the back as they tried to protect their slim advantage.

Kithson Bain’s effort from 25 yards grazed the bar after White gave the ball away. Then Moron Phillip hit a curling shot that hit the outside of the far post.

The goal that was threatening finally came in the 77th minute when Rickson Phillip, on the field as a substitute for only five minutes, pulled his team level when he beat Bell from close range after Shane Rennie picked him out inside the box.

Bermuda had lost their thrust in attack for most of the second half, but they went close to taking a psychological advantage into tomorrow’s match, only to be denied by Belfon, whose diving was just as spectacular as his flips.