Bermuda 1 Costa Rica 9

Bermuda finished their Concacaf Women’s Under-17 World Cup qualifying campaign on a disappointing note after losing 9-1 to Costa Rica in Mexico on Saturday afternoon.

Already out of contention for a place at the World Cup finals in Morocco in October after defeats to Mexico and Haiti, coach Gary Adams’s side were hopeful of ending their tournament in a positive fashion.

“The results were disappointing, as you always want to win,” Adams told The Royal Gazette. “But the experience for the girls to see the level of technical and physical ability of teams from bigger nations is needed.

“Our players and staff can now see the level required to compete. We will take the lessons of our exposed deficiencies and return stronger next year.

Bermuda started the match brilliantly with Janiya Sealey putting the Lady Gombey Warriors ahead in the fourth minute with a stunning right-footed free kick from 25 yards, which flew into the top corner to give Costa Rica goalkeeper Melissa Vargas no chance.

But that was as good as things got with Bermuda holding the advantage for just a few minutes before Lucia Paniagua scored from the penalty spot after she was fouled by Ayshalay Simons.

Midfielder Daniela Ocampo gave Costa Rica the advantage in the twentieth minute, with Bermuda forced into a change when Zelaye Showers was forced off with an injury midway through the first half.

Costa Rica added three more goals before half time through Tiara Ruiz, Nubia Medina and a Simons own goal to go into the break 5-1 up.

Four more Costa Rica goals would follow in the second half with Ocampo grabbing her second, Medina notching twice more to complete her hat-trick and Michelle Murillo rounding off the scoring in added time.

“Versus Costa Rica we had a great start and for brief moments strung passes together and were able to put pressure on them and create a few chances,” Adams said.

"But basic defensive mistakes cost us goals again. Coupled with our lack of ability to keep the ball, that made it a very physically demanding game.

“We must be technically and physically better with better decision making if we want to properly compete at this level, ”the coach added.

“I believe we conceded four penalties and six goals from unmarked players. Fifty per cent of the goals conceded we could have been prevented.

“Those margins will lose you games or make it difficult to stay in a game.”

SCORERS

Bermuda: Sealey 4

Costa Rica: Paniagua 11 pen, Ocampo 20, 48, Ruiz 28, Medina 30, 52, 72, Symons og 45+2, Murillo 90+3

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-1-4-1): T Rodrigues — Z Showers (sub: K Lightbourne, 24min), S Trott, A Simons (sub: M Trott, 46), J Peets-Butterfield — J Sealey (sub: T Glasgow, 73) — K Brooks-Smith (sub: K Curling, 77), C Dowling, N Samuels (sub: A Barry, 45), A Patton — M Gibbons-Thomas. Substitutes not used: S Baisden-Scott, P Denbrook, N Minors, D Outerbridge, E Welch.

Costa Rica (4-2-3-1): M Vargas — K Molina (sub: K Serrano, 46), F Alfaro, T Ruiz, A Lindo — I Chaverri, D Ocampo — E Azofeifa (sub: R Recio, 76), V Solano (sub: M Murillo, 89), N Medina (sub: T Ortega, 76) — L Paniagua (sub: W Lopez, 89). Substitutes not used: B Arronis, N Barquero, M Castro, C Gonzalez. Booked: Azofeifa, Medina, Ruiz, Recio.

Referee: A Monroy (United States).