The Lady Jaguars were dumped out of group-E in the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers yesterday, battling to a scoreless with Barbados in their must win final fixture at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.
With Bermuda defeating Suriname 1-0 in the earlier match, a victory was required to seal their berth to the next round.
However, it was ‘Italianesque’ defensive performance from the visitors led by the dominant Shonna Evans, who restricted Guyana to a total of five shots.
Similarly, the night started ominously as a power failure occurred at 7:33 during Guyana’s national anthem, blanketing the field in darkness.
The embarrassing lighting issue was caused by the failure of the facility’s generator and lasted for approximately 58 minutes.
Present during the episode were Minister of Social Cohesion with the responsibility for Youth and Sport George Norton, GFF President Wayne Forde and several executive members.
Also present was FIFA Developmental Officer Howard McIntosh and GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood.
Upon the commencement of play, Brianne Desa fashioned the first chance in the 15th minute for the host, curling a left foot shot wide of the top left corner, from the right side of the box.
Cameo Hazlewood was then denied in the 38th minute, racing onto a through pass inside the left of the box, before blasting her effort straight at Barbadian goalkeeper Rhea Holder.
Barbados who seemed comfortable in defence, ended the first period without recording a shot on target.
Their strategy of playing on the counterattack almost paid dividends in the second half but Shonelle Evans was denied by the woodwork in the 59th minute.
Latching onto a ball outside the right of the box, Stephens unleashed a lobbed shot which crashed into the woodwork and rolled across the goal-line, much to the disbelief of the Barbadians.
On the other side, Holder denied Nikita Persaud in the 69th minute, tipping her effort from 20 yards out, over the crossbar.
Mariam El-Masri almost secured the result for Guyana in the 84th minute, flashing a shot over the crossbar from inside the box, after an initial strike was deflected into her path.
