By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BEFORE a packed crowd at the newly built facility at Malcolm Park at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge on Friday night, the Bahamas suffered a heartbreaking 5-3 loss to Guadeloupe in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.

Even with more Bahamians lining the bridge and hundreds locked out in their effort to get into the stadium, the host team found themselves trailing on three occasions but battled back to even the score at 3-3 after two periods. However, Theo Gelas struck a pair of goals late in the third period to complete his hat-trick and secure the win for Guadeloupe which advanced them to a semi-final against Mexico on Saturday night.

The Bahamas, coming off three straight impressive victories to win group A in the round robin segment, will be back in action on Saturday at 5.30pm when they take on Trinidad & Tobago to determine which of the spots between fifth and eighth they will end up playing for on Sunday when the week-long tournament come to a close.

"We started off a little shaky in the first period, but I felt as if we regained our composure in the second and third periods, but some good playing by Guadeloupe held off our strong attack," said Bahamas' goalkeeper Ivan Rolle. "Anytime you are playing in sand, it's difficult, but we trained hard and we tried to stick to our game plan as much as possible."

Rolle, who had his most difficult match so far in the tournament, said the Bahamas would have preferred to be playing in the semi-finals, but they hope to come back and finish the tournament on a strong note just as they started on Monday.

"We were expecting to finish as least top four in this tournament, so it's very heartbreaking," Rolle, who was distraught at the final whistle, pointed out. "We want to use this tournament as a stepping stone to really show the world that we are ready to play at this level."

Rolle was referring to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup that will take place at the same facility in April. By virtue of being the host, the Bahamas have already qualified. Two more teams will join the Bahamas at the end of the tournament on Sunday.

As they use this tournament as a stepping stone to the more prestigious tournament ahead, Rolle said he was encouraged when he looked up and saw the tremendous support they received from the Bahamian public as the stadium was packed to its 3,000 capacity and people lined the Sir Sidney Poitier bridge to watch from outside as they couldn't get in.

Each time Guadeloupe scored in the first two periods, the Bahamas answered until Gelas put the game away for good in the third.

Damien Granchi-Constant, the Guadeloupe captain, took advantage of a loose ball to volley in from long range over Rolle after four minutes but Gary Joseph levelled 30 seconds later after some neat footwork. But within two minutes Gelas nodded in his first at the far post from a throw-in to put Guadeloupe in front and then Lesly St Fleur saw his penalty brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper, who had an excellent match. Sebastien Hell, joint top scorer in the tournament with St Fleur going into the game, gave notice of his threat by hitting the post just before the end of the period.

Joseph struck again early in the second to even the score at 2-2 but three minutes later, the imposingly physical Hell rose above the Bahamas defence to head Guadeloupe in front 3-2. St Fleur, having a sensational tournament, finally got through to tie the score at 3-3 just before the end of the period - his ninth goal of the event.

In the third period, the deadlock was broken when Gelas escaped onto a long ball forward and then punished confusion in the Bahamas defence at a corner to slide in at the far post with four minutes to go. Joseph fired in a free kick as the clock ran down on the Bahamas but the goalkeeper made another fine diving save.

Mexico, the defending champions, await Guadeloupe in the semi-finals on Saturday while El Salvador tackle the surprise package Panama. El Salvador cruised past Jamaica 5-0, Panama upset the United States 6-4 and Mexico saw off Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 in the other quarter-finals.

In the lower placement games played on Friday, Barbados defeated Turks and Caicos Islands 5-2; Belize stunned US Virgin Islands 6-4 after extra time; Costa Rica outlasted Canada 3-2 on penalties after they were tied 2-2; and Guyana held off Antigua and Barbuda 6-4.

RESULTS

Friday

Placement matches

13th place first round: Barbados 5 Turks & Caicos Islands 2

13th place first round: Belize 6 US Virgin Islands 4 (after extra time)

9th place first round: Canada 2 Costa Rica 2 (Costa Rica win 3-2 on penalties)

9th place first round: Guyana 6 Antigua & Barbuda 4

Quarter-finals

El Salvador 5 Jamaica 0

United States 4 Panama 6

Mexico 5 Trinidad & Tobago 1

Bahamas 3 Guadeloupe 5

PROGRAMME

Saturday

11.15am: 13th place second round: Turks & Caicos Islands v US Virgin Islands

12.30pm: 13th place second round: Barbados v Belize

1.45pm: 9th place second round: Canada v Antigua & Barbuda

3pm: 9th place second round: Costa Rica v Guyana

4.15pm: 5th place semi-finals: Jamaica v United States

5.30pm: 5th place semi-finals: Trinidad & Tobago v Bahamas

6.45pm: Semi-finals: El Salvador v Panama

8pm: Semi-finals: Mexico v Guadeloupe

Sunday

11.15am: 15th place match

12.30pm: 13th place match

1.45pm: 11th place match

3pm: 9th place match

4.15pm: 7th place match

5.30pm: 5th place match

6.45pm: 3rd place match

8pm: final

The two finalists will qualify for the World Cup in Nassau from April 27 to May 7. If non-FIFA members Guadeloupe reach the final the third place winners will take the qualification spot.

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Guadeloupe End Bahamas Hopes Of Progress In Beach Soccer Championship - Bahamas Tribune