Virgin Islands goal keeper Brittney Peters chucks a header over the bar in the second half of their game against Honduras on February 22, 2022. Photo: YouTube

The young Virgin Islands women's footballers have been gaining valuable experience at the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers. Photo: BVIFA

The [British] Virgin Islands national women’s footballers seemed to have put their heavy loss to Cuba well behind them as they put up a much better performance in their battle with Honduras in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, although going down 0-4 at the Francisco Morazan Stadium in Honduras yesterday, Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Photo: CONCACAF

But it would have been another goal fest against the young and inexperienced Virgin Islands team had it not been for the valiant efforts of goalkeeper Brittany Peters, who was kept busy throughout the match but did well to pull off at least 14 saves.

The Virgin Islands’ ladies managed to keep the home team at bay until the 27^th minute when a poor goal kick by Peters could only find Kimberly Diaz who fired from well outside the 18-yard box and found the near post.

It would have been 2-nil up in the 32^nd minute had the 24-year-old Peters not pulled off a save from close range. Diaz had hit the top bar from another long-range effort and Truimali Ramirez was then given the ball in front of goal but her low shot was saved by Peters.

It was 1-nil at halftime in favour of the home team, Honduras, who were hungry for success after losing 0-7 to Haiti in their first game.

3 goals conceded in 2^nd half

The Virgin Islands; however, would concede a goal two minutes after the resumption when striker Linda Moncada (47^th minute) received a ball from down the middle and shook off defender Makeda Fahie before slotting it past Peters.

It could have easily been 3-nil Honduras in the 49^th minute but Peters denied a header from close range.

It was 3-nil Honduras in the 75^th minute; however, when Kendra Haylock sprinted into the goal area with the ball and blasted it past Peters. Replays later showed that Haylock may have been in an offside position.

Honduras’ final goal came in the 77^th minute when substitute Kimberly Lopez’s shot from the far-right top corner of the 18-yard box found the netting at the back post.

Lone chance for VI missed

The Virgin Islands only real chance for a goal came in the 89th minute when substitute Darci Reich charged a ball that was sent across the face of goal by a Honduras defender. The ball found Zina Cheikh unmarked in front of goal but, with just the keeper to beat, she sent it wide.

The Virgin Islands are expected to play their home matches in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers in April.

In other results of second round matches, Suriname beat Anguilla 5-0, Nicaragua hammered Turks and Caicos Islands 19-0, Bermuda whipped Cayman Islands 6-0, Barbados overcame Aruba 3-1 and St Kitts & Nevis defeated Curacao 5-1.