The British Virgin Islands Under 20 football team secured their first victory in the CONCACAF Under 20 Championship Qualifier, staging a thrilling comeback against Belize on Tuesday at the Estadio Nacional in Managua, Nicaragua.
The match hailed as the most exhilarating of the day, saw the BVI rebounding from their earlier defeats to triumph 4-3 over Belize in a roller-coaster encounter.
Belize took an early lead in the 16th minute with a goal from Jaheim Mena, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle. However, the BVI responded with Arzani Callwood levelling the score at 1-1 in the 38th minute, converting from the penalty spot. The momentum continued as Curtis Lane scored a splendid header just two minutes later, granting the BVI a 2-1 advantage. Callwood, in exceptional form having scored in the previous game, added his second goal in stoppage time, sending the teams into halftime with the BVI leading 3-1.
The second half witnessed a dramatic turn of events as Belize capitalized on two awarded penalties in quick succession, with Isaac Teegar and Felix Martinex finding the net in the 54th and 58th minutes, respectively, levelling the game at 3-3. Undeterred, the BVI continued to press forward, and their perseverance paid off when Johari Lacey scored the decisive penalty in the 70th minute, securing the well-deserved victory for the BVI.
With this win, the BVI currently holds the third position in Group A, comprising five teams. Nicaragua leads the group with 9 points, followed by Cuba with 6 points. The BVI had previously faced an 8-0 defeat against Nicaragua and a much-improved 2-1 loss to Cuba.
The team’s next challenge is set for Thursday against Anguilla at 6:00 p.m. BVI time, as they strive to build on the momentum gained from this hard-fought victory.