Bermuda 2 Surinam 1

Bermuda got their Concacaf Girls Under-15 Championship campaign off to a winning start in Trinidad & Tobago thanks to a first-half brace from Evans Welch.

The striker pounced in the 29th and 35th minutes before team-mate defender Zelaye Showers’s deflected own goal at the start of the second half threw a lifeline to their rivals in League B Group F.

Both teams created further chances but were unable to convert, Bermuda weathering some late pressure to preserve their one-goal advantage until the end.

“I am definitely pleased with the result,” Bermuda coach Don Vickers told The Royal Gazette.

“It took us ten minutes to get into the game and establish our way of playing. Once we were able to do that, we created opportunities, which led to two goals in the first half.

“The second half was a little shaky start, which was evident by the goal, and we had to fight it out to the end.”

The Lady Gombey Warriors stretched their opponents and linked play superbly but lacked the all-important final touch in the attacking third of the pitch during the early exchanges at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima.

Surinam created the first clear-cut opportunity of the match against the run of play, which they squandered when scoring seemed easier.

It proved to be a costly miss as Bermuda finally broke the deadlock when midfielder Avery Taylor threaded a through-pass up the middle that Welch ran on to and calmly slotted past the advancing goalkeeper despite being closely shadowed by two defenders.

Welch threatened again moments later when she dispossessed a defender in the box but lost control of the ball before being able to get off a shot.

However, she was off and celebrating again after being left with the simple task of tapping forward Daley Outerbridge’s short pass in the box into an open net to double Bermuda’s advantage and leave them in full control at the half.

Surinam were back in the contest two minutes into the second half when Showers’s intended clearance from a cross drifted over the head of Bermuda goalkeeper Nalini Minors.

The goalkeeper then pulled off a brilliant save from point-blank range shortly after as a rejuvenated Surinam pressed on for an equaliser.

The game opened up heading down the final stretch, with Bermuda forward Tayte Glasgow having two ambitious long-range efforts easily saved while Welch dragged wide from the left side of the box.

Surinam had further good looks at goal in the dying moments, but were unable to capitalise, much to the relief of their opponents, who held on to the end.

In the opening match at the stadium, Dominican Republic beat Cayman Islands 2-0 to assume early control of the group on goal difference.

Bermuda will face Cayman in their second group match tomorrow at 2pm AST.

Only the group winners will advance to the knockout stage.