BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – England-based forwards Romaine Sawyers and Harry Panayiotou both scored as St Kitts and Nevis brushed aside Saint Martin 3-1 to take sole possession of the lead in their group in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Playing in Group B of League C on Thursday night, Sawyers scored in the first half while Panayiotou came off the bench to net in the second, as St Kitts ran out comfortable winners at the Raymond E. Guishard Stadium in Anguilla.
The victory was the second for the Kittitians, taking them to seven points from three matches, three clear of second placed Aruba.
St Kitts threatened to take the lead from the outset and finally did so in the 26th minute when Tiquanny Williams tucked in a rebound from close range, after Sawyers’ initial shot struck the uprights.
Saint Martin levelled nine minutes later, Jérémy Peterson-Dutoya whipping a cross from the right side for Pierre-Bertrand Arné to knock in from point blank range.
St Kitts were back in front just moments later, however, Sawyers stabbing in a rebound this time after another United Kingdom-based player Omari Sterling-James had been denied by goalkeeper Jordan Etienne.
Ahead at the break, St Kitts put the game to bed through Panayiotou, the 28-year-old Maidenhead United player smashing home yet another rebound in the 89th minute.
In Group A of League B, Barbados and Antigua and Barbados suffered contrasting fates by the same scoreline.
Playing at the Wildey Turf Stadium, hosts Barbados conceded the lead to Cuba in the third minute through Maikel Reyes and then failed to find a way back against the Spanish-speaking Caribbean side.
And at the Rene Serge Babajoth Stadium in Guadeloupe, UK-based Ashley Nathaniel-George produced a moment of magic down the left-side, beating several defenders and finishing clinically in the 57th minute to hand Antigua their win over the hosts.
In the other game in League B, hosts French Guina beat the Dominican Republic 1-0 at the Edmard Lama Stadium.
In Paramaribo, hosts Suriname remained winless in Group A of League A when they went down 2-0 to giants Mexico after conceding second half goals.
CMC
Thursday's results
Scores:
League A
At the IR Franklin Essed Stadium (PARAMARIBO, Suriname):
Suriname lost to Mexico 2-0
League B:
At the Edmard Lama Stadium, (CAYENNE, French Guiana):
French Guina beat the Dominican Republic 1-0
At the Rene Serge Babajoth Stadium (LES ABYMES, Guadeloupe):
Guadeloupe lost to Antigua & Barbuda 1-0
At the Wildey Turf Stadium, (WILDEY, Barbados):
Barbados lost to Cuba 1-0
League C:
At Raymond E. Guishard Stadium (THE VALLEY, Anguilla):
Saint Martin lost to St Kitts & Nevis 3-1
At the AO Shirley Recreation Ground (ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands):
US Virgin Islands lost to Puerto Rico 3-1