The Tribune

THE Bahamas Football Association has announced the names of the men’s national soccer team expected to represent the island nation in its first qualifying World Cup match for Qatar 2022.

The Bahamas is slated to play host to St Kitts & Nevis in a home game scheduled to begin at 7pm on March 27 at the Thomas Robinson National Stadium.

Two days later, they are booked to travel to the Dominican Republic to take on the vaunted Guyana in an away game.

The players selected to represent the Bahamas in the match against St Kitts & Nevis are Dylan Pritchard, Troy Pinder, Marcel Joseph, Evelt Julmis, Terry Delancy, Peter Julmis, Happy Hall and Ian Lowe.

The team manager is Larry Minns, assisted by Samuel Thibaud. Nesly Jean is the head coach and Eugena Patton will serve as the physiotherapist.

The national team, like others in the region, has had to train in unlikely circumstances due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2020 when the shutdowns were instituted, the squad just prior had completed first round matches of the Nations League with a 3-1 record and advanced for the next round.

After a six-month layoff, the team got special permission from the Competent Authority and the Ministry of Health to resume restricted training.

Advanced training was only permitted if there was no spreading of the virus and agreed upon protocols were followed.

Fast forward to today, under the guidance of Jean and his management team, the squad returned on March 8 from Bradenton, Florida, where they competed in two FIFA approved friendly matches against Bermuda.

The games were very competitive as both coaches Jean and Kyle Lightbourne sought to identify and select the best players available to take into their qualifying matches.

Under rigorous COVID- 19 testing protocols, the team lost the first match 0-3.

Coach Jean made numerous substitutions so that he was able to view all players in the competitive environment.

In the second match, the game ended 0-0 with the Bahamas squad squandering numerous chances to bag a win.

Upon returning to the Bahamas, the squad had to undergo the government’s mandatory five-day testing protocols and every member received a negative result.

The protocols were put in place by FIFA, the Bahamas Football Association and the Ministry of Health.

The squad now ramps up training in preparation for the home games against St Kitts & Nevis and then travel two days later to the Dominican Republic to take on the vaunted Guyana.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Guyana, the game had to be moved to a jurisdiction where the protocols allowed the game to be played.

The match versus St Kitts & Nevis will be played before an empty stadium to mitigate the spread of the virus.

The BFA will arrange for the match to be streamed live online for the Bahamian soccer public so that they can cheer on their compatriots.

The BFA invites the public to support the team by tuning in to streaming sites on Facebook, YouTube and on the BFA’s website.