MIAMI, Florida– Nottingham Forest’s Lyle Taylor scored twice, including a late winner, as Montserrat captured their first game of the CONCACAF Nations League with a 3-2 victory over luckless Bermuda here Saturday night.
The 32-year-old, who spent most of last season on loan at Birmingham City, netted in the 47th and 85th minutes as Montserrat survived a comeback from Bermuda to secure their first points in Group B of League B.
In contrast, the defeat left Bermuda bottom of the group without a win or a point and condemned to relegation to League C.
Playing at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic, Bermuda needed the mettle of goalkeeper Dale Eve to remain in the game, the United Kingdom-based player forced to make up to four saves.
However, he was powerless to stop Taylor’s penalty moments after the break when Luke Robinson brought down Brandon Barzey in the area.
Willie Clemons brought Bermuda back on level terms seven minutes later, Nahki Wells intercepting a loose back pass from Nathan Pond and providing the assist.
Adrian Clifton put Montserrat ahead for the second time in the 67th before Wells tied the game up again, capitalizing on another defensive blunder from the Montserratian back line to race through on goal and beat custodian Kymani Nelson with a rasping left-footed drive in the 78th.
A grand-stand finish ensued, Taylor, wrapping up the points by remaining onside before clipping Clifton’s pass into the far corner.
Also, in Group B, Guyana suffered a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of Haiti, to suffer their first defeat after two consecutive wins.
Derrick Etienne Jr scored twice in the first half to spearhead the French Caribbean side’s efforts which saw them finish unbeaten and top of the group on seven points.
Guyana found themselves down 2-0 inside the first nine minutes courtesy of strikes by Simonsen Jeppe Friborg and Steeven Saba. Still, it hit back in the 11th through Emery Welshman to lift hopes of a competitive affair.
However, Carney Antoine restored Haiti’s two-goal cushion with a 38th-minute header before Etienne finished off a three-versus-one counter-attack in the 41st minute and then tucked away Friborg’s squared pass moments later to blast Guyana out of the game.
Haiti led 5-1 at the break, and Fredler Christophe added the final goal ten minutes from time.
and then 