After managing only a single goal in its previous three matches, the USVI Dashing Eagles Under 20 soccer team fired three balls to the back of Nicaragua’s nets Monday — but not enough to overcome the host’s six.
Nicaragua came out firing, scoring in the third and 18th minute before the Virgin Islands returned fire in the 28th and 31st minutes. Nicaragua scored again in the 34th minute and the Dashing Eagles scored in the 39th — evening the score at the half.
It was the closest to victory the USVI had been at the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. But it wasn’t to be.
Fourteenth-ranked Nicaragua scored five minutes into the second half, then again in the 74th — and then put away any chance of a Virgin Islands comeback with an extra-time goal in the 92nd minute.
On the heels of back-to-back blowout losses, the U.S. Virgin Islands Under-20 team held Aruba scoreless through the first half Saturday. They eventually lost 2-0.
The 37th-ranked Dashing Eagles had bled goals against 30th-ranked Martinique, losing 7-1 on Feb. 24, and powerhouse 9th-ranked Canada in a 14-0 loss Thursday.
The tournament’s Group F has been almost all lopsided outings, with hosts Nicaragua beating Martinique 5-0 and Aruba beating Nicaragua 2-0 in the group’s closest match yet. Nicaragua beat Martinique 5-0 and Canada beat the same squad 8-0
The USVI finished the tournament with zero group-stage points and a -25 goal differential.
