HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Winger Reggie Lambe has been reinstated as Bermuda captain for their CONCACAF Nations League qualifier against El Salvador here on Friday night, after being stripped of the honor in his side’s 12-0 win over Saint Maarten last month.
Lambe, 27, who scored a hat-trick in that match, was replaced as captain by defender Danté Leverock, but will lead his country against El Salvador at the National Stadium.
Mystery
Mystery surrounds why the winger, who plays for English league Two side Cambridge United, was temporarily relieved of his responsibilities by national coach Kyle Lightbourne.
Lambe took over as captain from Nahki Wells, who has not played for his country for three-and-a-half years, often missing league matches for his club side to return for friendlies.
Lightbourne had said he planned to consult with his coaching staff before deciding who would lead Bermuda.
With Wells – currently on loan at English Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers from Premier League club Burnley – returning to the fold for the first time since March 2015, when he captained the island in two World Cup qualifying fixtures against the Bahamas, it is likely his name was in the mix.
Reggie Lambe will once again lead Bermuda
“We want everyone to feel a part of what’s going on,” Lightbourne said. “We will feel it out and go from there.”
Speaking before the captaincy was announced, Leverock said he intended to be a leader on and off the pitch, regardless of the decision.
“It was a privilege to lead out my nation; something I’ll never forget,” Leverock said.
“Whoever captains the country, I know they will do what it takes to motivate the guys. We have leaders all over the pitch and that’s the most important thing.”
El Salvador, who are 70th in FIFA rankings, 110 positions above Bermuda, have made a strong start to the Nations League qualifiers with a 2-1 win away to Montserrat and a 3-0 victory at home to Barbados. Bermuda’s 12-0 win over Sint Maarten came after they lost 3-1 away to Aruba.
Lightbourne, 50, has fond memories of facing El Salvador during his playing days. He is perhaps best remembered for a thumping header to give Bermuda a 1-0 win over the Central Americans in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in 1992.
Lightbourne, who enjoyed success as a professional in England, particularly at Walsall, still ranks the goal as the most important goal of his career.
“That goes down as my most famous goal,” Lightbourne said. “I might have scored a couple of more spectacular goals, but it comes down to the context of playing for your country, the importance of the game, and having to deliver on the day against a team ranked way above us.”
