If Montserrat is to progress to the newly expanded Nations League A at some point, it will have to beat teams like the Dominican Republic. Like Montserrat, it is stuck in League B, unable to top the group, but far better than the teams dipping in and out of League C. When Montserrat qualified for the Gold Cup Prelims in 2021, it did so by beating the Dominican Republic along the way. That day, Montserrat put out an experienced team of players in their late 20s and 30s, including both the brothers Comley and Taylor. This time was different.
On Monday, DR was a cut above Montserrat. Were it not for some wayward shooting, the crossbar on two occasions, and another outstanding performance from Kymani Nelson in the Montserrat goal, the scoreline could have resembled the fateful game against Trinidad and Tobago two years ago. That game was the reward for beating DR last time around, and the Emerald Boys lost 6-1. Lyle Tayor said in a post-match interview (with me) that “we lay down and let them tickle our bellies”.
Since then, Montserrat has been recruiting younger players, some of whom have come and gone, and most have offered a glimpse of a promising future. But it is only a glimpse, and Montserrat struggles when too many experienced players are unavailable. Nelson has been a fine recruit, and so has Brandon Barzey, who has brought much-needed pace and movement to the side. Nelson is 19, and Barzey is 24. Monday’s starting lineup also featured Nico Gordon and Jeriel Dorsett, who are both 21, and Lewis Duberry, who is 20. Two 19-year debutants, Lucas Kirnon and local boy Siegel Rodney, came off the bench. Rodney was only on for a few minutes but got himself in an excellent attacking position after a few seconds, and soon after created a good chance for Adrian Clifton.
There was no belly tickling this time, but DR was able to cut through the Montserrat defence far too easily. The wet conditions didn’t help, and DR seemed better suited to them. Perhaps they are, or maybe they were just better prepared. The ball was often stuck in puddles on a poor pitch, but DR constantly looked to clear their lines and move the ball forward quickly. DR’s third goal came from a pass from the outfield player furthest back to the player furthest forward, and which bypassed every man in between. Montserrat’s current access problems (or should I say policy?) forced a change of venue for this game, and rarely has such a change been so beneficial to the supposed away team. Montserrat has a great pitch, even if it is little used these days.
Montserrat played a high defensive line, a high-risk tactic, particularly with an inexperienced centre-half pairing who had only played together once before. The tactic gives the opposition less space to play in but inevitably creates situations where the defenders are facing their own goals. It also leaves the goalkeeper exposed to attacking players running at them. Dorney Ribero is a regular starter in Bolivia’s top professional division and it will be understandable if Nelson has nightmares about his constant one-on-one duals with him. Both did well.
DR also played its system well, and the long forward passes tended to find attackers moving quickly in anticipation. Montserrat’s long balls were fewer in number and seemed to be hit more in hope. But even DR’s hopeful balls fell kindly for them. Their first goal was an own goal in the opening minutes, but the other two came from long balls. Both started after Montserrat lost the ball in attacking positions. For the second goal, Montserrat had a couple of good chances to break up the play before Ribero came in on the DR right for another one-on-one with Nelson. For the third, Ribero ghosted behind the Montserrat defence, again on the right, to pick up a long ball a full five yards behind the chasing defenders.
The only, and unsurprising, change from the previous game was Jernade Meade coming in for Massiah McDonald in defence. He took up the left back potion, with Braham-Barrett switching to the other side. Coach Lee Bowyer must have been frustrated that DR’s first goal came from the Braham-Barrett side of the defence just three minutes into the game. Oh, the best-laid plans! Dean Mason, Joey Taylor and Kaleem Strawbridge-Simon have all played at full-back recently, but two were unavailable this time, and Taylor was deputising in centre midfield. Bowyer will be hoping for more options for next month’s big games against Nicaragua.
We have no way of knowing whether Bowyer will stick around as coach, but if I can be impertinent, I’d say that we probably all liked how Montserrat played under him. Hopefully, this young team can grow together like the previous generation, but some managerial consistency would help. Bowyer faces the same problem as his predecessors: too few goal-scorers in the team these days. Since the COVID-19 break, Montserrat has scored 18 goals, with Lyle Taylor getting 11 of them. Clifton, who is no longer a starter, got four of the rest, with the others coming from three players not in the current squad. Taylor and Clifton have a few years left in them yet, but the alternatives look limited at the moment.
Dorney Ribero of the Dominican Republic
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