The Bermuda Under-17 women’s team are on the brink of qualification to the Concacaf Under-17 Championship after their first win over a Jamaica women’s team.

Bermuda defeated Jamaica 3-2 thanks to goals from LeiLanni Nesbeth, Nia Christopher and Adia Gibbons in their final group game at the Caribbean qualifiers in Haiti on Wednesday.

The team will now turn their attentions to the final group F game between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago tonight.

A Jamaica win or a draw will guarantee Bermuda top spot and a place in the Concacaf Under-17 Championship in Nicaragua next year. The defeat by Bermuda means that Jamaica will not be able to retain the CFU title they won in Puerto Rico in 2015. The two group winners meet on Sunday for the title.

Aaron Denkins, the Bermuda coach, took some satisfaction from his side’s win, after his Bermuda Under-20 team were eliminated by Jamaica in their Caribbean qualifiers at home in July.

“It was a very satisfying victory, not just because of the under-20 result but more for the success of the players and the programme,” said Denkins, who is filling in for head coach Naquita Robinson.

“The players, with the assistance of the national programme, have been putting in a lot of work and it’s manifesting itself.”

Denkins praised his entire team, led by striker Nesbeth who scored her third goal in two games after returning from a head injury in the first match, which required hospital treatment.

Nesbeth opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Christopher doubled the lead in the fifteenth and Gibbons added the third seven minutes later.

“LeiLanni is a talented player who puts in the work required to be a top athlete,” Denkins said of the Bede’s Senior School student, who also plays for the Brighton and Hove Albion under-23 team.

“She should finish as the top scorer in the tournament and deserves it.”

Denkins has been impressed with the new-found harmony between the players and believes that has translated to them being a stronger unit on the pitch.

“The team dynamics, tenacity and resilience are what got us through,” he said.

“At times we have a tendency to have a go at each other and to be our own worst enemy on the field, but that did not happen.”

Denkins was relieved that Bermuda were able to hang on for the victory, having lost the lead against Trinidad in their first match on Monday, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

“The game plan was to change our look and shape to cause confusion with the opponent,” said Denkins, whose side led 3-0 at half-time against Jamaica. “The change confused them long enough for us to get some good looks on goal and our players took those early chances.

“They had to make a tactical change around 20 minutes to readjust their tactics, so our plan was the right one.

“At half-time we told the team that the second half would be tough and everyone dug in and pulled it off, so we were relieved.”

Bermuda will watch the final two group matches today, with Haiti, the group G leaders and big favourites to reach the final, taking on Cuba in the other match. Haiti beat Puerto Rico 3-0 in their opening game before Puerto Rico thrashed Cuba 4-0 on Wednesday.

“We have played against Haiti, Puerto Rico and Cuba in previous tournaments and they are just as difficult an opponent as any in this round,” Denkins said.

“I’m expecting Jamaica to play for pride and hopefully defeat Trinidad. Jamaica have a very talented team and qualification for the next round via the third place play-off match is still in their reach.”

Danni Watson, the Bermuda Under-17 captain, said she felt proud that the team pulled off a major upset by beating Jamaica.

“I know Jamaica were favourites to win, but we proved everyone who thought so wrong,” she said.

“I always knew we could compete with the best teams in the Caribbean, but now I feel like we’re one of the best teams in the region and people should be asked if they can beat us.”

Watson admits there were emotional scenes when the final whistle blew.

“Some of us burst into tears, some of us even fell to our knees. The atmosphere is hard to describe, but it was a great feeling for our girls. We know we worked so hard for this win.”