Bermuda 1 Haiti 4

Nila Samuels struck a spectacular stoppage-time goal for Bermuda in defeat by ten-man Haiti at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers in Toluca, Mexico.

Samuels’s goal, the first for Bermuda at the tournament, was not enough to stop the Lady Gombey Warriors from slumping to a second defeat in group A yesterday after losing 5-0 to Mexico on Monday.

Coach Gary Adams commended Samuels for listening to the message from the coaches to take shots from distance.

“Nila Samuels did well to take her chance with a well-struck ball from 25 yards out,” Adams told The Royal Gazette. “We were telling the girls to shoot if given space and she took her chance well.”

Haiti, who had goalkeeper Kalea Tranchant sent off in the 38th minute, still won with goals from Ella Étienne (two), captain Dominique Désert and Maya Piquion.

The defeat ended any hopes Bermuda had of qualifying for the World Cup. Adams’s side are rooted to the bottom of the group and have to play Costa Rica on Saturday. Hosts Mexico top the standings with six points after beating the Costa Ricans 4-0.

“In the beginning, small mistakes cost three goals,” Adams said. “We were able to apply pressure on Haiti but we must be more clinical in our technique and decision-making.

"We failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage by wasting possession too easily and then not finishing the chances we had. We need to read the game better.

“These lessons will help the team in the future as the majority of the girls are eligible for the same tournament next year.”

While Bermuda dominated the early exchanges, captain Jayla Peets-Butterfield’s barge on Étienne in the area was adjudged to have been illegal. Étienne had no trouble from 12 yards against Taya Rodrigues.

Haiti scored their second when Désert headed home Étienne’s free kick in the seventeenth minute. Rodrigues got her hands to the ball but could not stop it going in.

Étienne completed her brace in the 27th minute when she held her composure to beat Rodrigues at the far post after the goalkeeper was drawn out of position.

Haiti were reduced to ten players seven minutes before half-time when Tranchant charged off her line and flattened Daley Outerbridge. The Bermudian forward was injured and had to be replaced.

Bermuda tried to get back in the game. Milan Gibbons-Thomas had their best chance but her shot was saved by replacement goalkeeper Liliana Baril.

Maya converted from the spot in the 82nd minute for Haiti’s fourth after the left back tumbled over in the box under a challenge from Saony Trott.

With the last kick of the match, Samuels scored the best goal of the encounter. She received a pass from Zelaye Showers, spotted Baril off her line and sweetly struck the ball home from distance.

SCORERS

Bermuda: Samuels 90+4

Haiti: Étienne 14 pen, 27, Desert 17, Piquion 82 pen

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-4-2): T Rodrigues – S Trott (sub: A Barry, 86), Z Showers, J Peets-Butterfield, A Simons – J Sealey, C Dowling (sub: N Samuels, 38), A Patton, E Welch (sub: M Trott, 86) – D Outerbridge (sub: K Brooks-Smith, 44; sub: P Denbrook, 86), M Gibbons-Thomas. Substitutes notused: S Baisden-Scott, K Curling, T Glasgow, K Lightbourne, N Minors. Booked: Peets-Butterfield, G Adams (coach).

Haiti (4-3-3): K Tranchant – G Boursiquot (sub: L Baril, 43), R Dauphin, A Strickler, M Piquion – M Vallon, M Larco, K Châtelain (sub: M Renord, 61) – E Étienne, G Dauphin, D Désert (sub: S Abraham, 76). Substitutes notused: M Pauyo. Booked: Desert, Châtelain, M Ogé (coach). Sentoff: Tranchant.

Referee: D Chesky (United States).