www.bviolympics.com Football “We want to make one or two changes because we realized they are very slow in defense and we have some quicker guys that we didn’t actually use,” head coach Patrick Mitchell noted. “We are thinking of using them coming down the flanks from in the middle in the next game. I think we can penetrate better if we use those guys.” The BVI and the Bahamas played to a 0-0 half time draw in their first time encounter. Two minutes into the second half, the Bahamas seized a 1-0 lead, when Lesley St. Fleur connected in the 47th minute of play. The BVI and the Bahamas continued their battle, before Rohan “Chi Chi” Lennon penetrated their defense at the 21st minute of the second half, to equalize the match. Mitchell said his central midfielders took some long shots between 20 and 40 yards out which were penetrating, but the breeze was blowing in one direction. He said they have to go against the breeze first then they can turn the pressure on in the second half of Sunday’s game.
“We had been working on a blind side run and that had been working well for us and we had a lot of shots on goal,” Mitchell recounted. “We’ve talked to our forwards and we’ve done some work up here. I think they are getting to understand exactly what we want.”
The team is playing on artificial turf for the first time and Mitchell noted that the ball bounces a bit different and sometimes it doesn’t. He said it’s also very windy and numerous in game adjustments have to be made.
In order to advance to the second round for the very first time in its history, the BVI will need to secure a 2-2 draw, or win by one clear goal. Hosts Bahamas only need a 0-0 draw to qualify on the away goal rule. The winning team will meet Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in the second round on June 14. The Reggae Boyz—who led 2-0—gave up two second half goals in a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors, in Wednesday night’s friendly encounter.
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