Bermuda coach Kyle Lightbourne expressed his delight over the availability of several key players that have rejoined his squad for next month’s one-off Gold Cup preliminary-round fixture against Barbados in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Bermuda Football Association yesterday released a 23-player squad bolstered by the return of experienced players such as Danté Leverock, Nahki Wells, Reggie Lambe and Milan Butterfield to name a few.

“We weren’t able to select some of the players that are available now due to injury or just the timing wasn’t right,” Lightbourne told The Royal Gazette. “But now we have the opportunity to select some of the names that people are familiar with so we’re hoping that we will look a bit like before as a team.

“We’ve got a lot of experience back in the squad and hopefully we can do something.”

Bermuda’s squad has undergone ten changes from the one that competed against Surinam and the Cayman Islands in their final World Cup qualifying group B matches this month.Also among the players rejoining the national set up are Zeiko Lewis, Jaylon Bather, Calon Minors, Justin Donawa, Daren Usher and Kane Crichlow.Crichlow and Lambe were ruled out of this month’s World Cup qualifiers through groin injuries while Bather was serving a one-match suspension.

Leverock is back after rescinding his retirement from international football after only four weeks.

Justin Bell, Azende Furbert, Cecoy Robinson, Jordan Outerbridge and Tokia Russell have all been omitted.

Bermuda made their debut at the 2019 Gold Cup where they bowed out at the group stage after suffering 2-1 defeats by Costa Rica and Haiti before a 2-0 win over Nicaragua capped an outstanding campaign.

The national team will lock horns with Barbados on July 2 at the DRV PNK Stadium, with the winner taking on Haiti or St Vincent & the Grenadines for the right to progress to the group stage.

The match will be broadcast at 8pm (Bermuda time), on Fox Sports 2, FUBO TV and Vidgo as well as on Sling Blue and Hulu + Live TV for US audiences.

Extended coverage of the match will be streamed over the BFA’s social-media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and their website. (bermudafa.com).

For more information, visit bermudafa.com/goldcup.

SQUAD

Keishon Bean, Jomei Bean-Lindo, Detre Bell, Eusebio Blankendal, Willie Clemons, Danté Leverock, Quinaceo Hunt, Richard Jones Jr, Daren Usher, Zeiko Lewis, Jaylon Bather, Calon Minors, Lejaun Simmons, Reginald Lambe, Dale Eve, Roger Lee, Kole Hall, Luke Robinson, Jonte Smith, Justin Donawa, Kacy Butterfield, Kane Crichlow and Nahki Wells.