Jamaica opened their Concacaf World Cup final-round qualifying campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Bermuda at the Flora Duffy National Sports Center on Friday night.
Early authority from captain Damion Lowe, a dazzling solo strike by Renaldo Cephas, a surging finish from Kasey Palmer, and a late header from substitute Shamar Nicholson sealed the three points for the Reggae Boyz.
Head coach Steve McClaren praised the professionalism of his squad, describing it as “a very tricky game” but lauding his team’s ability to manage the moments. “We got the first goal, and that settled us down,” he reflected. “Credit to Bermuda, they kept playing football and creating opportunities, but we defended well and showed the individual quality needed to win.”
Fast start silences the crowd
The home side had packed the stands in anticipation, horns blaring and hopes high, but Bermuda’s optimism was punctured within six minutes. From a corner that the hosts failed to clear, Lowe reacted quickest, poking through a crowded penalty area to give Jamaica sixth-minute lead.
The Reggae Boyz nearly doubled the advantage minutes later when debutant Bailey Cadamarteri teed up Palmer, only for Bermuda goalkeeper Dale Eve to intervene. Bermuda threatened in the 16th minute as captain Nahki Wells stung the palms of Jahmali Waite, but defender Greg Leigh cleared the rebound under pressure.
Cephas then delivered the game’s highlight in the 26th minute. Starting inside his own half, the left winger collected a headed pass from Greg Leigh and glided past two defenders with sheer pace and trickery, cutting the ball back before driving a low finish beyond Eve.
The goal left Bermuda rattled and Cadamarteri twice came agonizingly close to adding a third—rounding the goalkeeper once and steering the ball wide of an unguarded net, and striking the post shortly before halftime.
Bermuda fight back, but Jamaica turn the screw
Bermuda’s coach Michael Findlay attempted to swing momentum with a halftime substitution, introducing Keziah Martin for Willie Clemons. The change sparked Bermuda’s best spell, with Kane Crichlow firing three times in quick succession, only to be denied by Jamaican goalkeeper Jahmali Waite and an immense block from center-half Richard King.
Findlay later admitted the early concession proved costly: “The first goal was a sloppy one to give away, and it put us on the back foot. Even at 2-0, we had a good spell, but against a team of Jamaica’s quality, you can’t afford those mistakes.”
His captain Wells echoed the frustration: “We tried our best to avoid conceding early from a set piece, but we failed. It gave Jamaica the lift they needed and knocked us back. Losing the first game at home is tough—it’s an uphill task now.”
Any Bermudian hope of clawing back evaporated in the 58th minute when Palmer stormed through midfield on a pass from Jon Russell and buried a precise strike into the bottom corner.
Nicholson, criminally snubbed from the Concacaf Gold Cup squad earlier this summer, was introduced with 20 minutes to go for the wasteful Cadamarteri, and he completed the rout in the 90th minute with a delicate glancing header from a Ronaldo Webster corner.
McClaren: “Professional job done”
While pleased with the margin of victory, McClaren emphasized the discipline shown by his young squad:
“We talked about clean sheets, and we got that. It was a professional performance—come here, get the three points, go home. We created about 19 chances, seven on target, so we could have scored more. But I was impressed with the leadership from the experienced players and the promise shown by the younger ones. The future is bright for Jamaican football.”
Teams: Jamaica – Jahmali Waite, Damion Lowe (Mason Holgate 61’), Richard King, Dexter Lembikisa, Greg Leigh, Isaac Hayden, Kasey Palmer (Karoy Anderson 61’), Jon Russell, Renaldo Cephas (Kaheim Dixon 72’), Tyreece Campbell (Ronaldo Webster 87’), Bailey Cadamarteri (Shamar Nicholson 71’).
Booked: Hayden (45’), Nicholson (90+1)
Subs not used: Kemar Foster, Tafari Chambers, Jamoi Topey, Jahshaun Anglin, Kevon Lambert, Warner Brown, Michail Antonio
Bermuda: Dale Eve, Deniche Hill (Lejuan Simmons 72’), Julian Carpenter (Dante Leverock 81’), Harry Twite, Reece Jones, Willie Clemons (Keziah Martin 46’), Djair Parfitt-Williams, Ne-Jai Tucker (Aunde Todd 81’), Kane Crichlow, Reggie Lambe (Justin Donawa 66’), Nahki Wells.
Booked: None
Subs not used: CJ Fubler, Detre Bell, J’Nai Butterfield-Steede, Kieron Richardson, Razhir Jones, Tokia Russell, Jutorre Burgess
Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)
Group B Standings
| Teams | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
| Curacao | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bermuda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
