The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemdia.net

UNLIKE the men’s national soccer team that was outclassed at home in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday, the men’s national beach soccer team made an impressive debut in the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships 2015.

Known as the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015, the Bahamas blasted Barbados 10-4 as they turned what started out as a close game in the first half into a run-away as they came out of the locker room to complete the second half.

Lesly St Fleur and Ehran Hanna scored the first two goals for the Bahamas, but they lost some of their momentum, giving up three goals to Barbados to trail 3-2. Gary Joseph booted in the equaliser, but the Bahamas fell behind 4-3 at the half. When play resumed, Garvin Christie came through to level the score at 4-4 as the Bahamas went on to pull away after another goal from Jean and they never looked back.

The win gave the Bahamas the first points in the event and they will hold onto those going into their next match today against Antigua and Barbuda. Barbados will be disappointed in how they finished but they were strong to begin the match and could have very well held onto the lead and they will build on that going forward against the USA today.

The teams came out hungry for quick goals and the chance to make a strong opening statement. The Bahamas did that first with two first period goals that could have very well broken the spirits of Barbados but the Bajan pride answered with a goal of their own to pull the score back to 2-1. The equaliser soon followed and the high scoring affair was just getting started.

Barbados continued their strong push and took the first lead late in the frame only to see the Bahamian Boys level things at 3, going into the first break. The deadlock lasted only a few minutes into the middle frame when Bourne of Barbados scored his second goal to move the score to 4-3 for his side. The scoring onslaught continued with the teams exchanging goal after goal, and the lead switched hands once again with the Bahamas regaining a two-goal cushion, leaving the score at 6-4 going into the last frame.

The Bahamas wasn’t comfortable with only a two-goal lead against the pesky Barbados side, so they pushed the tempo and really found their stride on the offensive end, bursting forward, which was nothing new to the game. But the difference was that they began to clamp down on defence and did not allow Barbados to climb back. With the game seemingly out of reach, the Bahamas turned to their defence and closed out the game without allowing another goal and when the final whistle sounded, the Bahamas were up 10-4, setting the bar high for the upcoming matches.

The Bahamas is hoping to improve on its performance at the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships 2013 (The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 - CONCACAF Qualifier Bahamas) when the United States defeated El Salvador in the final at the BFA’s beach soccer complex at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge.

The Bahamas finished sixth after losing to Guatemala in the fifth place game on a penalty shot. The two tams ended the regulation in a 6-6 tie.

The Bahamas Football Association is hoping for a successful showing in El Salvador after winning the bid to host the 2017 Beach Soccer World Cup.

Today, the Bahamas is slated to play Antigua and Barbuda at 3:15pm before closing out the round robin against the United States 7pm Tuesday.

The playoffs are scheduled to get underway on Thursday and the tournament wraps up on Saturday.