Aruba remains perfect in Group B of CNL with win over Anguilla
By Neto Baptiste
Aruba rallied to a two-nil triumph over Anguilla to move to the top of Group B with six points in League C of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) when they met at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Tuesday day night.
Following a scoreless first half at the North Sound venue here in Antigua, Aruba took the lead in the 53’ for the first-time, with a right-footed hit from Rovien Ostiana from inside the box after a pass was cut back from the left.
Justin Figaroa sealed the win for Aruba in the 88’ with a finish from the top of the box. The loss was Anguilla’s second in as many matches as they remain at the bottom of the standings.
Group B action continues October 1st when Anguilla face Antigua and Barbuda at the same venue starting at 7:00 pm. Also in League C, the U.S. Virgin Islands earned a 3-1 win over Bahamas in Group C at Bethlehem Soccer Stadium in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
The U.S. Virgin Islands pulled ahead in the 14’, when Jimson St. Louis scored at the near post following a cross from the left. The home side doubled the lead right before the half in the 45+3’ through a Rakeem Joseph header. Noah Armour further extended the advantage for the U.S. Virgin Islands early in the second half in the 62’.
Bahamas responded with a goal of its own in the 68’, with Christopher Rahming finding the back of the net with a towering header on a corner kick opportunity.
The opening match in League C saw Turks and Caicos Islands pick up its first three points in Group A with a three-nil shutout of the British Virgin Islands at TCIFA National Stadium in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.
Billy Forbes handed Turks and Caicos Islands an early lead in the 9’ with a finish from the center of the box to capitalize on a delivery from the left. The hosts doubled the advantage in the 52’ in a play which saw a grounded delivery from the left find Junior Paul inside the penalty area, where he tucked the ball away from close range. Forbes sealed his brace and rounded out the victory for Turks and Caicos Islands with a strike in the 74’.
