Dominica Suffers Heavy 8-1 Defeat to Guyana

Dominica’s senior men’s national football team suffered a heavy 8-1 defeat to Guyana on Sunday in their CONCACAF Nations League League B encounter in Puerto Rico.

The Bouyon Boyz endured a difficult afternoon, trailing 4-0 at halftime before

Guyana added four more goals after the break. Reon Cuffy scored Dominica’s

lone goal of the match.

Head coach Kurt Herd accepted responsibility for the team’s approach to the

game, saying his instructions to the players ultimately contributed to the

disappointing performance.

“Yeah, sure. I'll take responsibility because I told the boys to go and play

football,” Herd said. “And they attempted to play football, probably overplay,

and shot themselves in the foot a little bit, but ultimately I've given them

instructions to go and play football, and that's been our downfall.”

Herd said the team struggled to maintain its discipline and organisation after

falling behind.

“After that, heads go down, we're not making the runs, we're not tracking

runners, the boys start to make silly decisions on the field, and ultimately we

let ourselves down very badly there tonight,” he said.

The coach also acknowledged the challenges facing the national team and the

gap in preparation and player development that Dominica must address.

“We're dealing with amateur football players, technically aren't good enough,

physically not good enough, and I almost feel like I've been sent into a gunfight

with a teaspoon, to be honest,” Herd said. “But I hold my hands up and I take

the blame for that.”

The defeat leaves Dominica facing a difficult challenge as the team looks to

secure its position in CONCACAF Nations League League B.

With remaining matches still to be played, the Bouyon Boyz will need to

regroup quickly and produce positive results in their upcoming fixtures. Points

will be vital as Dominica looks to improve its position and avoid the threat of

relegation.

Herd said the team must learn from the experience and find a way to respond.

“We have to recognise” the challenges facing the group, he said, while

accepting that “I'm always the face of it as the coach, so it's me that takes the

brunt of it, and rightly so.”

Herd also addressed the absence of forward Troy Jules, explaining that Jules

informed him the night before the match that he no longer wished to represent

the national team under Herd’s tenure.

“Unfortunately Troy, just a difference of professional opinion,” Herd said. “Troy

last night made himself unavailable, said that he no longer wanted to represent

the national team under my tenure, which is fine, I respect that.”

Herd said the decision was therefore made to remove Jules from the squad for

the match.

“Not anything personal, Troy's a great guy, but certainly a difference of

professional opinion,” he added.

The Bouyon Boyz will regroup ahead of the November international window,

when the team will have another opportunity to fight for crucial points and

keep its League B campaign alive.