Next month?s Digicel Caribbean Cup soccer matches in the Cayman Islands have been put back to late November following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Charlie and Ivan, revealed Bermuda Football Association general secretary David Sabir yesterday.

Bermuda, among the favourites to qualify for the second round of the inaugural competition, were originally scheduled to compete in the Caribbean island from October 26 to 30.

The Island team have been placed in Group E along with St.Vincent and the Grenadines, hosts Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

The Digicel Cup is the first step on the road to next year?s CONCACAF Gold Cup competition.

?Today we have been advised by the general secretary of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) that the Digicel Caribbean Cup matches to be held in the Cayman Islands next month will not take place at that time due to damage caused by recent hurricanes,? confirmed Sabir.

?This means the tentative dates for the tournament have been pushed back to the last two weeks in November.?

The CFU will announce a new schedule for the competition at a later date.

?From what we have been told, the condition of the field (in the Cayman Islands) is certainly not conducive to holding any football matches which makes one believe the stadium facilities, among other things important to stage a tournament of this size, will not be available as a result of the hurricane anytime before October,? added Sabir.

The Digicel Cup will consists of 24 teams placed into six groups of four with the top two from each group progressing to the CFU second round qualifiers, composed of six home-and-away series matches from December 12 to 19.

The second round winners will advance to the third round where they will take part in three home-and-away encounters in early January, 2005, with the eventual victors joining host nation Barbados in the CFU final round of qualification from February 20 to 24.

The region?s top three teams will all secure Caribbean berths and advance to next July?s CONCACAF Gold Cup competition.

Newly appointed senior national coach Kyle Lightbourne described yesterday?s announcement as a ?blessing in disguise?.

?Obviously this works in our favour,? he said. ?I was preparing the team for a certain date but this is a definitely a bonus for us as it now affords us additional time to prepare.?

The national team were due to hold their second practice session in three days at BAA Field last night after just nine players turned up at the same venue on Saturday morning.

While Bermuda, currently placed at 160 on FIFA?s world rankings, enter the tournament as favourites to advance along with St.Vincent and the Grenadines, presently ranked 150 on FIFA?s list, Lightbourne remains cautious.

?I had a look at the rankings as well but you can never count out the home nation (Cayman Islands),? he warned.

?They have just come through a hurricane and this could pull the country together. So we?ll obviously have to take it one game at a time and try to come out as group winners ? that?s what I?m aiming for.?