NEW JERSEY, United States, CMC – Haiti won their third straight match to top Group B but Bermuda made the headlines when they won their first-ever match at the CONCACAF Gold Cup when they blanked hapless Nicaragua 2-0 here Monday.
Playing at Red Bull Arena, the Bermudians got second half goals from Lejaun Simmons and Nahki Wells to cap off a dominant display in their final match of the campaign.
Following defeats to Haiti and Costa Rica, Bermuda were desperate to take something from their historic outing in the continental competition but again spurned several chances to take the lead in a goalless first half.
However, their fortune changed in the second half when Simmons gave them the lead in the 60th minute, latching on to a brilliant through ball out of the back, beating defender Josue Quijano with blistering pace before producing a superb low finish past goalkeeper Henry Maradiaga.
Bermuda continued to press and were rewarded in the 71st minute through the persistent England-based Nahki Wells who nodded in from close range following Simmons’s cross from the left flank.
In the headline game, Duckens Nazon and Djimy-Ben Alexis both netted in the second half as Haiti rebounded from a 1-0 deficit at half-time to beat Costa Rica 2-1.
Alvario Saborio had put Costa Rica in front in the 14th minute from close range after the Haitian defence failed to clear a loose ball.
However, Nazon led the revival when he equalised from the spot in the 57th minute and Alexis competed the turnaround for the French Caribbean side nine minutes from the end, blasting home a ferocious right-footed volley from a tight angle.
Haiti finished on nine points with Costa Rica on six, while Bermuda ended third with three points and Nicaragua last without a point or goal.
