Monday 25 March 2019, 07:19

Debutants Bermuda, Guyana break new ground

  • Bermuda and Guyana qualify for first Concacaf Gold Cup

  • Among ten nations who booked their spots over the weekend

  • The 16-team Gold Cup will be co-hosted by USA and Costa Rica

Bermuda and Guyana are both celebrating after their securing first-ever Concacaf Gold Cup qualification over the weekend.

The pair are among ten nations who locked up qualification over the past 48 hours for the 16-nation continental tournament, which will be co-hosted by USA and Costa Rica.

Bermuda scored a 3-1 comeback victory over hosts Dominican Republic in a winner-takes-all affair, with goals from Zeiko Lewis, Nahki Wells and Justin Donawa.

The result undoubtedly kick-started celebrations back in the remote North Atlantic island nation, home to some 70,000 inhabitants.

The celebrations commenced 24 hours earlier in Guyana as the home side edged a 2-1 victory against the visiting Belize.

With qualification on offer for the victor, it was a second-half winner from Emery Welshman that got Guyana over the line.

Elsewhere in Sunday’s Concacaf Nations League matches, there were tense finales as Haiti denied Cuba with an 87th-minute Kevin LaFrance goal, though both eventually won through, while Nicaragua will feature in consecutive Gold Cups for the first time after a 1-0 victory over Barbados.

Haiti, Canada, Martinique, Curacao, Bermuda, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, El Salvador and Nicaragua were the ten to secure qualification, and they will join Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, USA, and Trinidad and Tobago in the June tournament.