CONCACAF Nations League: Garrett, Gordon keep Golden Jaguars buoyed

By Jemima Holmes

Guyana’s senior men’s national team the Golden Jaguars did just what the doctor ordered to keep their CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 hopes alive, pulling off an exhilarating 2-0 victory over Bermuda in Bermuda in their CONCACAF Nations League 2022- 2023 encounter.
Playing at the Dame Flora Duffy Sports Complex in Devonshire, Bermuda, Guyana’s Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz handed the captain’s armband to Emery Welshman, while Kai McKenzie-Lyle (goalkeeper), Leo Lovell, Jonathan Grant, Jalen Jones, Bayli Spencer-Adams, Liam Gordon, Jeremy Garrett, Elliot Bonds, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Omari Glasgow comprised the remainder of the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Dale Eve (goalkeeper), Daren Usher, Dante Leverock, Roger Lee, Oliver Harvey, Daniel Cook, Harry Twite, Jai Bean, Ahria Simmons, Zeiko Lewis and Captain Nahki Wells made up the home team’s starting line-up.
Though the first half expired with a stalemate, there was entertainment galore, as both keepers, McKenzie-Lyle and Eve, were made to work over time.
Also working overtime was Guyana’s new Captain, Welshman, who had a handful of shots, either going just outside the sticks or being scooped up by the keeper in the nick of time.
Bermuda also had their fair share of chances, but Guyana’s defense was impenetrable.
In the second half, it took the Golden Jaguars only 7 minutes to find the goal they were so feverishly hunting.
A pass from Jonathan Grant found Captain Welshman with three defenders on his tail and losing his footing. However, Welshman was able to redirect the ball near the corner of the posts with a tap of the head in a move that turned out to be an assist for Guyana’s first strike.
Charging forward, Liam Gordon met the ball just outside the goalposts and tapped it in for the first goal, in the 52nd minute.
Jeremy Garrett, who had been completely abashed with himself when his header in the first half hit the crossbar and deflected, finally got his reward 6 minutes later. The play again involved Welshman and Grant, both of whom had a wonderful outing in Bermuda. Welshman’s misdirected set piece from the corner met Grant just outside the parameters of the 18-yard box on the right wing, and Grant sliced the ball back into the area, where it met Garrett perfectly positioned between the sticks. A textbook kick from that defender again sent the Golden Jaguars into celebration, as the lead was extended.
With the 2-0 victory, Guyana have at least cemented their spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 preliminary stage, with Bermuda being eliminated from the prelims. The Gold Cup is set for play between June 16th and July 16th, 2023.
The Golden Jaguars’ next international assignment will be against Montserrat on Tuesday, June 28, 2023.