Bermuda Stun Cuba to Advance in World Cup Qualifiers
IslandStats.com
Cuba 1 Bermuda 2
Bermuda has achieved a remarkable feat in the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, stunning hosts Cuba with a 2-1 victory at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba to secure their place in the Final Qualifying Round.
With the final spots in Group A's Second Round on the line, the stakes were incredibly high for both nations.
Cuba Starting Line-Up: - Y. Hodelín, O. Calvo (M. Reyes 86th), K. Espino, Cavafe, K. Pérez, D. E. C. Lazcano (M. Campo 57th), P. Bravo, D. Reyes (R. Rodríguez 70th), J. Aguirre (C. Pinillo 70th), Y. Matos (W. Pozo-Venta 56th), A. Raballo - Substitutes: - I. Morgado, L. Mena, R. Polo, M. Rodriguez, O. Hernández, R. Valdez - Bermuda Starting Line-Up: - Dale Eve, Reese Jones Jr. (Eusebio Blankendal 77th), Ne-Jai Tucker (Roger Lee 87th), Julian Carpenter, Kole Hall (Reggie Lambe 69th), Zeiko Lewis (Sachiel Ming 77th), Djair Parfitt, Keziah Martin (Aunde Todd 69th), Willie Clemons, Harry Twite, Deniche Hill - Substitute: - Enrique Russell Detre Bell,, Kieron Richardson, Jorj Dublin, Rahzir Smith-Jones, Coleridge Fubler
Bermuda started brightly, stunning the home crowd by taking a 1-0 lead in just the 6th minute, with Djair Parfitt finding the back of the net. The early strike proved decisive as Bermuda held onto their narrow advantage, taking the 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Cuba came out with renewed vigour in the second half and found their equalizer in the 58th minute through Jorge Aguirre, setting up a tense final period. However, Bermuda showed incredible resilience and tactical nous. Substitute Reggie Lambe, who had only been on the field for five minutes after coming on in the 69th minute, made an immediate impact, putting Bermuda back in front with a crucial goal in the 74th minute.
The final 16 minutes, plus a tense period of stoppage time, saw Bermuda defend resolutely, hanging on to their precious 2-1 lead. The final whistle was met with jubilation from the Bermudian camp, confirming their hard-fought victory and their progression to the Final Qualifying Round of the FIFA World Cup 2026. This is a monumental achievement for Bermudian football.
