Bermuda 2 Nicaragua 1

Bermuda striker John Barry Nusum kept his hot scoring streak alive at the National Sports Centre, banging in a superb second -half brace to spur the ‘Gombey Warriors' to a hard -fought win over the Nicaraguans last night.

Picking up immediately where Shaun Goater left off, Nusum, who bagged five goals in the recent World Cup qualifying series against Montserrat, demonstrated his true class in putting the home team ahead in the 47th minute. Sent through down the middle, the burly professional striker - who suffered a cut above his left-eye during a first half aerial collision with a defender - managed to hold off his marker before body -swerving Nicaraguan ‘keeper Danny Tellez and calmly slotting the ball into the empty net.

The former Atlanta Silverback frontman - recently acquired by the Toronto Lynx - then notched what ultimately proved to be the winner in the 67th minute, punishing the visitors for some sloppy defensive work after Domico Coddington's cornerkick slipped through the hands of Tellez, leaving Nusum with the simple task of heading home from close range.

Nusum's performance must have left many licking their lips over the prospect of having the US pro link up with Bermuda's other professional marksman Goater, in what could turn out to be a lethal combination up front.

Any thoughts of Bermuda cruising along to a comfortable successive win over the Central Americans, however, were dashed in the 72nd minute when Nicaragua striker Emilio Palacios pulled one back from the penalty spot, leaving their hosts to sweat out the final minutes as the visitors mounted an all-out assault in search of the crucial equaliser.

And they almost achieved their objective in the 80th minute of play when David Solorzano unleashed a curling shot that eluded the grasp of Bermuda ‘keeper Dwayne (Streaker) Adams and slammed into the far post.

That, however, would be the closest the visitors would come to equalising and closing out their brief two-match stopover with a more favourable result then Wednesday night's comprehensive defeat.

Prior to the start of last night's match, a significantly smaller crowd - again lead by a vociferous trio in the grandstand - urged the home team on, though it would be the visitors who threatened first. First forward Milton Bustos had a goal-bound header cleared away by Kofi Dill while Carlos Fernando failed to get a boot to a cross which left the local defence standing flat-footed.

Both teams appeared settled in their initial approach work, comfortably spreading the ball along and using the full width of the ‘carpet'.

With the home crowd spurring them on, Bermuda should have gone ahead when Nusum put on a burst of speed down the right flank but hesitated to shoot allowing his marker to move in and narrow the angle as the chance went begging.

The professional striker then watched in disbelief as Tellez somehow managed to get a hand to his well intended lob while at the opposite end Palacios let rip with a ferocious blast that whistled past the upright.

Coddington - one of seven new starters in Bermuda's line up last night - waltzed his way through a maze of players only to see his effort roll inches past the far post before Ralph Bean Jr. followed up with a shot that went a similar route, as by now Bermuda appeared to have gained a marginal edge over their opponents.

The home team had a scare in the 29th minute when Nusum's night looked to have come to a premature end after he was involved in a aerial collision challenging for a cross. However after several minutes of medical attention on the sidelines and a change of jersey, the striker returned to the field to a rousing applause from the home crowd.

But with half-time nearing, Nicaragua again threatened to score with Palacios managing to round the onrushing Adams but failing to get his cross over to a team-mate waiting inside the box as the ‘keeper instinctively narrowed the angle and prevented any additional damage.

During one last quick raid on goal, Nusum fired in a left-footed shot that narrowly missed its target.

After not having much to cheer about in the first 45 minutes, Sports Minister Dale Butler finally gave the home supporters just what they had been aching to see - the ball in the back of the net. Butler firing in a penalty kick during a special half-time shootout to prove that he can do more than just box.

Whatever words of encouragement coach Kenny Thompson had in store for his charges at the break, took immediate effect from the restart as Nusum's composure in attack finally broke the ice.

Inspired, Bermuda looked set to sweep their guests off the ‘carpet' with Clevon Hill and Jared Peniston both coming close to scoring. Nusum had the ball in the back of the net in the 54th minute, however, linesman Anthony Mouchette muted the celebrations by ruling the effort for off-side.

But there would be no denying the frontman minutes later - shortly after Nicaragua made three substitutions- as he took full advantage of a gift and made the visitors pay heavily for sloppy ball handling at the back.

Nicaragua - who up to this point looked very much a beaten bunch - received a gift of their own in the form of an unnecessary late challenge by Adams on Palacios. The veteran Bermuda ‘keeper tripped the striker in the box although it appeared the danger had passed with Palacios running away from goal.

The Nicaraguan made no mistake with his spotkick, placing the ball to the left of a wrong-footed Adams.

Bermuda and fans alike collectively held their breath during the closing minutes as Solorzano's long range effort came back off the woodwork, Hevel Quintanilla's cross went completely untouched across goal and Fernando headed over the bar.

Bermuda: D.Adams, S.Burgess, M.Wade, K.Dill, O.Steede, D.Coddington, C.Hill (C.Smith, 68 mins), J.Nusum, R.Bean Jr (R.Simons, 75 mins), J.Peniston (D.Ming, 66 mins), S.Lewis.

Nicaragua: D.Tellez, H.Quintanilla, E.Palacios, T.Acevedo (W.Sanchez, 74 mins), C.Alonso, D.Solorzano, M.Bustos (S.Rodrigues, 60 mins), S.Alviles (E.Vallecillo, 60 mins), J.Vildez, H.West (A.Reyers, 60 mins), C.Fernando.

Booked: K.Dill (Bermuda); C.Alonso, M.Bustos (Nicaragua)

Men of the match: J.Nusum (Bermuda); E.Palacios (Nicaragua).

Referee: Lyndon Raynor.