The Cayman Islands men’s national football team proved a lot of people wrong and left one locally based Honduran supporter saying they were surprised about score of Saturday’s match.
The grit and determination of the Cayman men on home soil at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on 7 June left local supporters impressed with the 1-0 outcome against regional powerhouse and three-time World Cup qualifier Honduras.
Carlos Mejia’s close-range shot took a decisive deflection off Wesley Robinson, sealing the win for Honduras with minutes left on the clock.
A significant highlight of the match was the exceptional debut of Caymanian goalkeeper Deshawn Whittaker, who didn’t know he was going to be a starting player, as confirmed by acting head coach Colin “Dougie” Rowe during the post-game press briefing.
Rowe described Deshawn’s performance as “excellent” and said several factors led to the decision hours before game started, primarily a concussion Lachlin Lambert sustained in training, which prompted the team to prioritize his safety.
Deshawn was a dominant presence between the posts, making eight crucial saves throughout the game.
Deshawn said during the briefing that he feels very good about his debut performance.
“[It] really shows that I’m supposed to be on the national team,” he said.
Alfredo Whittaker, CIFA president, told the Compass he believes Deshawn’s fantastic performance contributed a vital sense of security and alertness for the team. He says that overall, he is impressed with the performance of the squad and that they, and spectators, should be proud of what the team displayed.
“Losing 1-0 with a couple of minutes to go is a really good result. We didn’t [just] play against any team, this is a big team and we did extremely well. I think it’s good for the confidence of the team going forward,” Whittaker said.
He added that Cayman’s “heart, determination, and self belief” were their most powerful assets, and they didn’t let the Honduran team’s height intimidate them.
Regarding the team’s overall play, Rowe stated, “It was a hard game, but the guys played to instruction. They really kept focused, stayed positive, and almost got over the hurdle. Almost.”
Despite Honduras’ dominating possession with 85% and unleashing 31 shot attempts (eight on target), the Cayman defense stood firm. The only ball to make it past Deshawn was an own goal.
As the clock ticked past the 90th minute, four minutes of added time were signaled, providing a glimmer of hope for the home side.
The Cayman coaching staff, in a final push for an equalizer, made two substitutions, bringing on fresh legs in Matthew Suberan and Sebastian Martinez.
Despite their valiant efforts and renewed energy, Cayman was unable to secure a tying goal.
Both Deshawn and Rowe remarked on the incredible crowd support, saying it fueled the team’s performance and expressed their deep appreciation.
