TCI Beat BVI in Concacaf Nations League to Keep Promotion Pursuits Alive

The Turks and Caicos Islands have kept their Concacaf League C Nations League group-topping hopes alive with a comfortable 3-0 blanking of the British Virgin Islands at the TCIFA Field on Sunday, in their return game.

Turks and Caicos Islands Football Team celebrate the second goal of their Concacaf Nations League encounter at the TCIFA Field on Sunday, October 4.

The goals were shared amongst number 10 Dominic Hutchinson, substitute, number 20 John Robertson and number 15 Sean Clare, courtesy of a penalty.

The win by the TCI mirrored their first leg encounter with the BVI on October 1, when the local team won by a similar margin.

The TCI could win the group, providing that they come away with a positive result against Montserrat on Tuesday, October 6. Montserrat defeated the TCI 2-0 in their opening encounter on Wednesday, September 23.

The local team were in a no-nonsense mood from the opening whistle, making numerous enterprising attacks, forcing the BVI defense to make hasty clearances, while quickly defusing attacks mounted by their opponents.

The first real chance for the TCI came in the 31st minute when captain Billy Forbes evaded the backline, and shot past the advancing goalkeeper, Frankie Beckles, but his shot agonizing grazed the outside of the post for a goal kick.

The home team’s breakthrough came in the 35th minute, when Beckles attempted to clear, but under pressure from Hutchinson, completely missing the ball, giving the leftwinger the opportunity to pick his pocket and slotted into the empty net, for a halftime 1-0 lead.

The TCI enjoyed a better second half, as their forwards were frequently fed from the midfield. They could have extended their lead in 51st minute when number 11, Junior Paul saw his right-sided shot hitting the woodworks and rebounded into play for the defenders to clear.

The TCI missed another golden opportunity to extend the lead in the 55th minute when number 5, Kyle Belizaire, who outleapt the BVI defenders to meet a Junior Paul cross, saw his header sailing inches over the crossbar.

Governor Her Excellency Dileeni Daniel Selvaratnam (second left) and local football boss, Sonia Fulford, share a post-match photo moment with members of the TCI team, captain Billy Forbes (right), Sebastian Turbyfield (left) and Christopher Louisy (second left).

The home supporters got a scare in the 60th minute when BVI forward Tyler Forbes, breached the TCI defense, but his header was eventually handled by custodian Sebastian Turbyfield.

The TCI missed getting the cushion goal again, when in the 83rd minute, a ferocious close-range shot from Zeze Sessegnon, whistled past the right post.

The relentless pressure finally broke BVI, when, in the second minute of stoppage time, Robertson headed a left-sided cross past a diving Beckles.

The TCI put the icing on the cake when the wily Hutchinson was brought down in the box, in the 4th minute of stoppage time, giving Trinidadian referee Akil Weekes no other option but to point to the dreaded penalty spot. Clare stepped up and calmly converted out of Beckle’s diving reach.

The TCI will close out the fixture against Montserrat in a mouth-watering grudge match on Tuesday, October 6. They will want to avenge the 0-2 loss inflicted by Montserrat and possible winning the group to advance automatically.