 Bermuda Select 2 Portland Hearts of Pine 3
A clinical second-half resurgence from USL League One side Portland Hearts of Pine saw them overturn a two-goal deficit to defeat a Bermuda Select XI 3-2 at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium. In what was the first of two friendly matches scheduled as part of a high-performance identification camp, the visitors displayed remarkable resilience to spoil the homecoming of several of Bermuda's overseas stars.
Bermuda Select Starting Line-Up: - Jahquil Hill, Arnezha Astwood, Jorj Dublin, Lejaun Simmons, Senoj Mitchell, Zeiko Lewis, Joshua Joseph, Zico Seymour, Malachi Trott, La Zai Outerbridge, Elisha Darrell - Substitutes - De-Andre Smith, Ari Cannonier, David Jones, Toran Place, Kydan Brown, Mikiel Thomas, Rayquon Woodley, Donavan Thompson - Portland Hearts of Pine Starting Line-Up: - Hunter Morse, Esteban Espinosa, Brecc Evans, Walter Varela, Khalid Hersi, Mikey Lopez, Mo Mohamed, Masashi Wada, Ollie Wright, Diego Rivera, Adam Armour - Substitutes - Kash Oladapo, Konstantinos Georgallides, Jay Tee Kamara, Michel Poon-Angeron, Titus Washington, Tyler Huck, Ernest Mensah Jr.
The Bermuda Select side, featuring a mix of domestic talent and established internationals like Zeiko Lewis and Jahquil Hill, looked comfortably in control during the opening period. The breakthrough arrived in the 23rd minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Lewis. After Senoj Mitchell forced a defensive error, Lewis pounced on the loose ball and unleashed a clinical left-footed strike that found the top corner, leaving Portland goalkeeper Hunter Morse with no chance.
Bermuda doubled their advantage six minutes before the interval when Joshua Joseph showcased expert footwork inside the area. Receiving a cross with his back to goal, Joseph spun sharply to fire a right-footed shot into the back of the net, ensuring the hosts headed into the tunnel with a deserved two-goal cushion.
However, the tide turned rapidly after the restart as the Portland outfit began to impose their physicality on the contest. The comeback began in the 50th minute when substitute Tyler Huck found the net to give the visitors a lifeline. The momentum shifted entirely just after the hour mark when Titus Washington pulled Portland level with a composed finish in the 62nd minute.
With the match hanging in the balance, it was Jay Tee Kamara who provided the decisive blow 15 minutes from time. His 75th-minute strike completed the turnaround, securing a hard-fought victory for the American side and leaving the Bermuda Select team to rue a lapse in defensive concentration.
The two sides are set to meet again on February 8th, where the Bermuda coaching staff will look for a more disciplined 90-minute performance as part of their ongoing player identification strategy.
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