The Sugar Boyz have secured a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup prelim, to be played in Miami later this year, in a bid to qualify for the Gold Cup. This is courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Aruba on Monday at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium in Concacaf Nations League action. Keithroy Freeman was the star of the show, scoring both goals for the Sugar Boyz in the 1stminute of first-half stoppage time and the 80th min. St. Kitts and Nevis finished the game with 10 men after Lois Maynard was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the 84th minute.
Coach Austin Dico Huggins was happy with the win, though he felt the team should have scored more goals. “The opportunity was there for us to get more but that’s the nature of the game. We managed to get two goals and we are successful so we move on to the next leg in Miami, which will be in June. We have more time to prepare ourselves much better,” he said.
The Sugar Boyz are once again on the cusp of making history, one step away from qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, should they win their prelim playoff match in Miami, opponent to be determined. He is confident this time, that with this team, they can do it. “We are confident and we are looking forward to the opportunity to go out and display our talent, and to let people know what St. Kitts (and Nevis) has and we can once more compete with the big boys,” Huggins said.
Meanwhile, Aruba’s coach Marvic Bermudez, said they were unable to nullify the long ball threat from St. Kitts and Nevis. He spoke about the reputation of St. Kitts and Nevis when they discovered they were drawn against them for the Concacaf Nations League. “We saw the other teams in Group C and I told the guys the most difficult team in Group C is St. Kitts (and Nevis),” he said. “I told the guys we have a strong opponent so we have to be really prepared and I was right. St. Kitts is a real good team,” he said.
St. Kitts and Nevis qualified for the Concacaf Gold Cup Prelim as group C winners of League C of the Concacaf Nations League. A draw will be held on April 14 next month to determine the Sugar Boyz opponents for that round of the competition.
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