BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Barbados did enough to hold serve at home with a 1-0 victory over the visiting US Virgin Islands on Saturday night at Wildey.
A quiet first half was nearly blown wide open in the 25th minute when Hadan Holligan made a steal deep in USVI territory and clanged one off the post.
Barbados grew more and more dangerous looking as the first half progressed but were unable to get on the board before halftime.
They finally got their goal in the 55th minute when Nicholas Blackman beautifully curled a free kick from 25 yards out into the top corner. Lionel Brown had no chance; it was unsaveable.
With six shots on target compared to just one for the visitors, it's hard to say Barbados didn’t deserve the victory but the Virgin Islands were very much wrestling for control for the full 90 minutes.
The win puts Barbados back atop the group with 6 points alongside the Cayman Islands, while the US Virgin Islands sit in 3rd place with three points. At the exact midway point of Group A play all four teams are still in the mix for the title.
