Jamaica 3 Bermuda 2 (Jamaica win 4-2 on aggregate) Bermuda gave a courageous effort that only just fell short in this Shell/Umbro second leg qualifying match at the National Stadium in Kingston yesterday.

Champions Jamaica now move on to the next round at Bermuda's expense, but the visitors had the satisfaction of making this game much closer than the 1-0 defeat on Friday night -- a contest Jamaica should have won by at least five goals.

Both teams used 3-5-2 formations yesterday, but Bermuda had the odds seemingly stacked against with the match scheduled at noon in blazing heat far more suited to the hosts. It was a blistering 90 degrees with the Stadium feeling like an inferno -- elements that should have added to Bermuda's woes.

And, with Jamaica in complete control during the first game, the Sunday crowd of 9,000 fully expected a walkover.

But the Jamaica team's prematurely bullish followers were brought down to earth when Bermuda appeared more like fighting tigers than easy prey.

And if Neil Paynter's firm header from a Lionel Furbert corner had not narrowly missed the upright seven minutes from time Bermuda may have earned a draw.

Despite the loss, Bermuda coach Clyde Best was pleased with his team's improvement.

"I am very pleased with the boys,'' said Best shortly after the final whistle. "But I am still not satisfied because we lost.

"I am a competitor. I don't like to lose, but we have to be realistic.

Jamaica have been preparing their team for three years, while we only had six weeks. The fact that we got two close results against them proves that we weren't too bad at all.'' Bermuda stunned Jamaica early when they created two chances within the first seven minutes.

After just four minutes Dwight Warren's deft lob was snatched by goalkeeper and captain Warren Barrett, and after seven minutes Voorhees Astwood's hard volley from 23 yards forced Barrett to dive to his right and make a good save.

But this early flurry was not a sign of things to come as Jamaica came back with a vengeance, forcing goalkeeper Dwayne Adams to save a shot from centre-back Donald Stewart, while forwards Andrew Williams and Theodore Whitmore had shots blocked that were destined for the back of the net after 20 and 22 minutes.

Whitmore chipped a ball against the post and Stewart hit the rebound only to see Adams pull off a dramatic save.

Paynter and Leroy Stevens held the Bermuda defence together, but the inevitable opening goal for Jamaica came after 34 minutes when Linval Dixon surprisingly squeezed the ball home off Adams from a sharp angle on the right.

Jamaica made it 2-0 at the half when a cross by Whitmore was cracked home by Steven Malcolm from just inside the box.

But Bermuda refused to lie down and a display of determination in the second half saw Warren create the opening for Ascento Russell to score from close in after 52 minutes.

Jamaica, however, remained sound and one of several attacks that followed saw Dean Sewell score after 63 minutes with a left-footed drive from 16 yards as the Bermuda defence retreated.

With the score now 3-1, one feared Jamaica adding more goals and taking complete control.

But Bermuda pushed forward and made it 3-2 as Lionel Furbert put substitute Darron Simons through the middle and the Dandy Town striker coolly fought off a challenge to score from close range after 74 minutes.

Both teams were reduced to 10 men after 83 minutes.

Leroy Stevens brought down substitute Kevin Wilson and the Bermuda centre-back, who had been enjoying another good game, was immediately sent off by referee Godfrey Bowen of the Cayman Islands, while Wilson was dismissed for retaliating.

Jamaica: W.Barrett; L.Dixon, D.Stewart, G.Messam (R.Gardiner 83 mins); D.Sewell, P.Cargill, T.Whitmore, D.Brown, S.Malcolm (A.McCreath 83 mins); W.Boyd (K.Wilson 68 mins), A.Williams.

Bermuda: D.Adams; L.Stevens, S.Smith, N.Paynter; R.Tucker, V.Astwood, M.Ray (L.Furbert 53 mins), K.Jennings, C.Smith; D.Warren (D.Simons 60 mins), A.Russell (E.Jennings 67 mins).

Referee: Godfrey Bowen Men of the Match: Theodore Whitmore (Jamaica); Neil Paynter (Bermuda)