St. Kitts/Nevis Exact Revenge on Guadeloupe
April 5th, 2010
Three unanswered goals in the first half gave St. Kitts/Nevis more than revenge in their return leg friendly versus Guadeloupe at The Warner Park Football Stadium on Saturday April 3.
Even before the commentators could finish speaking about the new all green strip that St. Kitts/Nevis was wearing and the officials – James Matthew et al looking smart in the new FIFA outfits Atiba Harris who came all the way from Dallas for this game was in the back of the net. The clock showed one minute and patrons who were late to arrive now have to wait on the replay to see the goal.
St. Kitts fielded one of its strongest team on paper in a long while with three of its overseas based players in the starting lineup. Also joining the squad was Jevon Francis who is at home awaiting a transfer from his base in Burma and Gerard Williams who is based in Trinidad and Tobago.
The experience of these players gelling with the local based players led by veteran George Isaac was a bit too much for the Guadeloupe team.
The second goal came in the 15th minute where Atiba Harris was again instrumental. He was played through down the left flank and worked off his marker to place a cross deep to the right flank. The ball was poorly cleared and allowed Alexis Saddler to win the ball, get around his marker and played a low cross to the near post where Ian “Rompy” Lake used superior foot speed to outpace his marker and with two touches was able to beat the advancing Guadeloupe goalkeeper.
Guadeloupe was able to respond with a dangerous break down the right side but the ensuing shot was ripped over the bar and into the crowd.
The third goal came in the 42nd minute where again Atiba Harris was involved. He was the one who got the second assist as he was able to find Jevon Francis in a dangerous position. Francis in turn went to the byline and gave an angled pass to the unmarked onrushing George Isaac from midfield. Isaac faked a shot, took the ball closer to the six yard box and from an acute angle curled the ball into the back of the net close to the far post.
St. Kitts/Nevis had an ideal chance to go further ahead when a George Isaac long ball beat the offside trap and gave Atis Hughes a one on one situation with the French goalkeeper. Hughes did everything well but a brilliant save from the French custodian prevented any further goal. The game ended with a 3-0 victory for St. Kitts Nevis.
