Danns’ late goal rescues Guyana, Dominica and Suriname draw

LEONORA, Guyana (CMC) – Guyana needed Neil Danns’ late game heroics to salvage a draw against visitors Barbados when the CONCACAF Nations League competition got underway at the National Track and Field Centre here on Thursday.
With Barbados leading 2-1 thanks to two second-half strikes from Hallam Hope, Danns, who plays for English League Two outfit Bury FC, latched onto a pass from Vurlon Mills 22 yards outside the penalty box and unleashed a powerful strike which beat Barbados’ keeper Keasel Broome Jr to his right.
Guyana missed several chances to open the scoring in the first half, with Andrew Murray Jr, Sheldon Holder and Daniel Wilson, spurning three clear-cut opportunities.
However, one minute into the second half, Trayon Bobb gave the home side the lead when he raced onto a through pass inside the left of the box, before lobbing his shot over the advancing goalkeeper and into the right corner.
Hope though, equalized in the 65th minute after a poor back pass fell into his path and he took full advantage, curling his right-footed shot into the left corner of the net.
He then got his brace eight minutes later, his powerful diving header proving too much for Guyana’s custodian Kai McKenzie-Lyle to handle.
And with Barbados in sight of what would have been their first victory against Guyana since 1999, Danns late goal ensured the spoils would be shared equally between both sides.
Over at the Stade René Serge Nabajoth in Guadeloupe, Dominica and Suriname battled to a goalless draw.