Barbados and Belize Gain Promotion to Concacaf Nations League B

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Barbados Tridents and Belize both secured their passages to the Concacaf Nations League B division with contrasting victories on Wednesday.

reidstepNiall Reid-Stephen (right) scored a hat-trick for Barbados against the USVI.Niall Reid-Stephen bagged a hat-trick, while Hadan Holligan and Omani Leacock also got on the scoresheet to help lead Barbados to a 5-0 demolition of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) in their League C, Group A encounter here Wednesday.at the Wildey AstroTurf.

It was the Trident’s third win in as many matches in Group A and propelled them to an unassailable nine points with one more match remaining against Bermuda.

Barbados was demoted from League B last season after enduring a horrible tournament where they failed to win a single game.

Nadre Butcher should have put Barbados ahead in the opening minutes of the contest after being put through one on one, but USVI keeper Joseph Whelan made a fine save to deny him.

However, Holligan put the home side in the lead in the 42nd minute with a clinical right footed finish past a diving Whelan.

Reid-Stephen then doubled Barbados’ lead when he converted from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time.

He then made it 3-0 in the 47th minute with a superb strike from outside the box that cannoned into the bottom left corner.

Reid-Stephen saved the best for last, however, bringing up his hat-trick with a curling free kick in the 65th minute that Whelan could only palm into the top corner of the net.

Omani Leacock then put the finishing touches on a dominant performance by slotting home from eight yards out in the 92nd minute.

Meanwhile, Belize also recorded their third straight victory in Group B when they beat Anguilla 1-0 thanks to a strike from Orlando Velasquez in the 56th minute, that also secured their promotion to League B.

St Kitts & Nevis put themselves in prime position to top Group C when they defeated the British Virgin Islands 3-1 to move their record to 3-0.

St Kitts were led to victory by goals from Malique Roberts (25′), Gvaune Amory (37′) and an own goal from Ikyjah Williams in the 90th minute.

The British Virgin Islands’ lone goal came from the boot of Kristian Javier Samuel in the 46th minute.