Belize 0 Bermuda 1

Bermuda coach Michael Findlay expressed his delight after the Gombey Warriors chalked up the first win of his tenure in the Concacaf Nations League against Belize.

Kane Crichlow’s first-half strike separated the two countries in the first meeting between them in an evenly fought League B group C contest played in sweltering 87F heat on Friday.

“As in football, no wins, no job, so anytime I can have wins I will take it,” Findlay told The Royal Gazette.

“Once you join a new organisation and a new group of players it takes time for you to try and get to know them and gel, and for me personally a win is always a great celebration, but it’s even better when you see how the players react to it. They understood what they did on Friday night and they should be celebrated for that.

“We are very happy with the result. We are very happy with the response that the players made after the disappointment in St Vincent & the Grenadines.”

The result leaves Bermuda third in the four-team group, two points adrift of leaders St Vincent and trailing second-place French Guiana only on goal difference.

While pleased to have achieved the desired outcome and to see his team back in the hunt for promotion, Findlay stressed there is still work to be done.

“First and foremost, we needed to do our part against Belize in this window and we’re 50 per cent there and we come home,” he added.

“On Tuesday, we hope to complete that process and be on six points from this window, giving us seven overall, which puts us right in the mix going into November and playing for promotion.

“That’s originally what our goal was and it’s been a challenge for lots of different reasons. It’s also a balancing act between short-term goals and long-term strategy moving into this new rotation.

“We are happy to be in the picture and in the discussion, but let’s make it very clear, we are only 50 per cent there in this window and we have work to do on Tuesday night.”

Bermuda came out swinging from the opening kick-off in Belize and forced three corners as they sought to capitalise on their early momentum.

Striker Jai Bean also had a free kick palmed away by goalkeeper Charles Tillett

who then used his outstretched leg to deny forward Djair Parfitt-Williams from point-blank range.

Bermuda eventually broke Belize’s resistance when Crichlow was allowed time and space to unleash a right-footed shot from 25 yards that took a defection on the way into the back of the net.

Belize eventually settled down and began creating chances of their own with Bermuda goalkeeper, captain Dale Eve, being called upon to make three saves.

Experienced central defender and former captain Danté Leverock then timed his tackle in the area to perfection to thwart another threatening Belize raid and preserve Bermuda’s lead at the break.

Belize applied more pressure after the restart with substitutes Horace Avila and Gilroy Thurton forcing Eve into action between the posts and tempers boiled over with players from opposing teams having to be kept apart after Bermuda conceded a foul in their own half.

Bermuda regained some momentum in the closing stages with Bean having a shot saved and Parfitt-Williams missing the target twice, while Belize pressed on in search of a equaliser, the visiting team held on to secure three vital points.

SCORERS

Bermuda: Crichlow 18

TEAMS

Belize (4-2-3-1): C Tillett 7 — J Myvette 7, E Trapp 7 (sub: M Palacio, 83min), E Martinez 7, C Westby 7 — J Polanco 6 (sub: W Moss, 53 6), D Myvett 7 — N Guerra 7 (sub: A Chi, 70 6), M Salazar 6 (sub: G Thurton, 53 7), E Reneau 6 (H Avila, 48 7) — G Garcia. Substitutes not used: A Zelaya, B Jones, A Barillas, L Cunil, D Logan, N Amankwah-Mens, G Iglesias. Booked: Garcia.

Bermuda (4-2-3-1): D Eve 8 — L Robinson 7, H Twite 7, D Leverock 7, L Evans 6 (sub: L Simmons, 46 6) — K Martin 7, N Tucker 7 — D Parfitt-Williams 7, K Crichlow 7 (sub: R Lambe, 78), J Donawa 7 (sub: R Coddington, 64 7) — J Bean 7 (sub: A Todd, 90). Substitutes not used: D Cook, R Lee, R Jones, D Bell, J Steede. Booked: Martin, Robinson, Leverock, Eve.

Referee: J Gabriel Calderon (Costa Rica).