On Friday, September 2, 2011, Belize defeated Grenada by a score of 3 goals to nil on Grenada soil in Group E of World Cup 2014 qualifiers. This evening, Grenada came to Belize and exacted its revenge and defeated our national team by a score of 4-1.
Grenada scored against Belize in the 37th, the 41st, the 50th, and the 80th minute of the game. Sportscasters and football fans told Amandala that the first 3 goals against Belize scored mostly due to a lack of defensive effort. The 4th goal against us, fans told us, was because of poor placement by internationally rated goalkeeper/captain Shane Orio.
The only goal of the game for our national team came from Ryan Simpson, when Simpson was able to slip past the Grenada goalkeeper in stoppage time.
After the game, we spoke to Deon McCaulay, one of the Belize national team’s forwards, who told us that a last minute line-up formation change by their coach hurt their ability to defend against Grenada.
He said that the coach changed the formation, from a 2-3-5 to a 4-4-2 formation, just before the game began. McCaulay explained that this formation caused a lot of confusion on the field, since they hadn’t practiced much with it.
McCaulay also attributed the loss to the wet conditions of the field. He said that Team Grenada kept the ball in the air more often when they had possession, and as a result, they had more control against our national team.
Team Belize has to regroup very quickly; they must travel to Guatemala to play on Tuesday, October 11.
(Ed. Note: According to FIFA website fifa.com, the following was the Belize national team members for the game on Friday, October 7:
Starting 11: #1 Shane Orio (goalkeeper, captain); #4 Dalton Eiley; #5 Elroy Kuylen; #7 Ian Gaynair; #8 Elroy Smith; #9 Deon McCaulay (out at 83rd minute); #10 Harrison Roches; #11 Daniel Jimenez; #15 Victor Morales; #17 Harrison Tasher; #21 Orlando Jimenez (out at 46th minute).
Substitutes: #2 Luis Mendez; #3 Ryan Simpson (in at 46th minute); #6 David Trapp; #12 Frank Lopez; #13 Luis Torres; #14 Mario Villanueva; #16 Vallan Symms; #18 Everal Trapp; #19 Byron Usher; #20 Evan Mariano (in at 83rd minute); #22 Woodrow West; #25 Tyrone Pandy.
Coach: Jose De La Paz (Honduran))