Antigua and Barbuda visited the U.S. Virgin Islands in what is quickly becoming the highest-scoring group in CONCACAF. The small crowd at Frederiksted would be delighted by the number of goals they would see during this contest, but not by the final outcome. The U.S. Virgin Islands hung tough in the first half, surrendering the first goal to Antigua only after more than a quarter hour had elapsed and were only subjected to a second goal against via a penalty conversion by Peter Byers, the very man who had drawn the penalty. Antigua took their 2-0 lead into the locker room.Apparently, the U.S. Virgin Islands left their belief, heart and desire in the locker room. Antigua scored on their first three shots of the half and had added another four goals within a dozen minutes of the restart, including the final two of Byers's hat trick. Antigua had added its third goal two minutes into the half to take a 3-0 lead. The U.S. Virgin Islands pulled one back a minute later, but Byers struck a minute after that to make the score 4-1. At the hour mark, the game was 6-1. At full time, the match was 8-1, a merciless thrashing by Antigua that places them in great position to win the group with continued good performances.
Curacao hosted group favorites Haiti in Curacao's first home FIFA World Cup qualifier under their new team name. The fans at Willemstad certainly expected a good result from a team that in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers drew at Haiti 0-0 and only lost 1-0 at home to Haiti after suffering an own goal. Just before the half hour mark, Curacao were able to get a goal against Haiti, something they had not accomplished in the 2010 tournament, and they did so to the tune of a 1-0 lead. However, Haiti knotted the score at one-apiece ten minutes later. However, Curacao drew a penalty kick and converted from the spot to give themselves a 2-1 lead just a couple minutes before the first-half whistle was blown.
The second half marked the end of the party for Curacao. Haiti took thirteen minutes to find the equalizer yet again, but then the Haitians struck again at two minutes later to claim a 3-2 lead. Ten minutes from time, Haiti found a fourth to comfortably see out the remainder of the match and escape with a 4-2 victory and keep pace with Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua 6 pts +10
Haiti 6 pts +8
Curacao 0 pts -5
U.S.V.I. 0 pts -13
Goals:
Antigua and Barbuda
Ranja Christian 18
Peter Byers 38 PK, 49, 57
Justin Cochrane 47
George Dublin 54
Randolph Burton 68, 82
U.S. Virgin Islands
Jaime Brown 48
Haiti
Kevin Lafrance 37
Charles Herold 58
Kervens Belfort 60, 80
Curacao
Mirco Colina 28
Angelo Zimmerman 43 PK
Match Reports:
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