Must win. Job done.
Saint Lucia picked up a vital 5–2 victory over Bermuda, giving Miran Louis and the new coaching setup their first win.
The scoreline suggests dominance. The match stats tell a more interesting story.
Saint Lucia actually had less of the ball, 42.9% to Bermuda's 57.1%, and were outshot 19–15, with Bermuda also recording more efforts on target, 11–7.
But Saint Lucia were ruthless when the opportunities came.
K. Caull scored a first-half hat-trick, header, right foot and left foot inside the opening 35 minutes. Bermuda's A. Burchall pulled one back in first-half stoppage time, but S. Byron made it 4–1 in the 53rd minute.
K. Frederick made it 5–1 in the 68th minute, before Bermuda's R. Robinson replied in the 70th to complete the 5–2 scoreline.
The numbers also show just how much pressure Saint Lucia had to absorb. Bermuda completed 451 passes to Saint Lucia's 336, with 88.2% passing accuracy compared with 81.8%, and won the corner count 8–3.
Perhaps the most telling statistic: Saint Lucia's goalkeeper made nine saves. Bermuda's made two.
So this wasn't a case of Saint Lucia controlling possession and cruising through the game.
It was something different.
They defended, absorbed pressure and, crucially, took their chances.
There are still questions. Conceding 19 shots and 11 on target won't be something the coaching staff will want repeated too often. Saint Lucia also committed 16 fouls to Bermuda's six.
But in a must-win game, the first requirement was the result.
Five goals. Three points. Rajesh Latchoo's first win as head coach, and the first victory of the new technical era under Miran Louis.
And suddenly the campaign looks a little different.
What did you make of the performance? Did the 5–2 scoreline tell the whole story?