By Samuel Peters
The Antigua and Barbuda Benna Boys beat Bahamas 4-1 to register their first win in the CONCACAF Champions Nations League Saturday at the New Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in the Bahamas.
The Antiguans were firing on all cylinders in their Group F fixture as Javorn Stevens opened the scoring with a brilliant header in the 3’ minute after receiving a cross from the left flank by Captain Joshua Parker.
It didn’t take too long after before the scoreline became two nil, when Dion Pereira sent a through ball to Stevens who comfortably got ahead of the defenders and beat the goalkeeper to his left in the 9’ minute.
To add insult to injury, the Bahamian defence showed some sloppy ball handling which gave Thomas James Bramble an opportunity to intercept the ball, taking a shot with his left foot to also beat the keeper to his left in the 43’ minute, making it three nil.
The home side scored possibly the best goal of the game in the 62’ minute by way of the feet of Wood Julmis who received a throw-in, got around defender Vashami Allen to his lef,t and with one strike of his right foot, blasted the ball past Antigua and Barbuda’s goalie’s Zaiem Scott’s right.
The ever-present and dependable Quinton Griffith scored a penalty in the 77’ minute after Raheem Deterville was brought down by an ill-advised tackle, sending him flying inside the 18-yard box. Griffith stepped up to the plate and slammed a shot in the top right corner to make the final score 4-0.
The Benna Boys will once again take on the Bahamian side on Tuesday at 3:30 pm at the same venue.