Dominica’s senior men’s national football team fell 2-0 to Puerto Rico in the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday, September 27, despite producing a stronger display after halftime.
Head coach Kurt Herd said the Bouyon Boyz struggled to carry out their intended approach during the opening 45 minutes, allowing Puerto Rico to dictate the match and benefit from Dominica’s mistakes, as per a team press release.
“We didn’t start the game as we wanted to, but the structure and things that we set up in, we didn’t follow the plan in the first half. We didn’t problem-solve again, and it caused us problems,” Herd said in his post-match assessment.
Dominica found it difficult to generate attacking opportunities early in the game and was forced to spend considerable time defending as Puerto Rico capitalised on technical errors.
“We didn’t create enough chances, we weren’t dangerous enough going forward. We had to defend a lot in the first half, and that was very, very tough,” he explained.
The team responded differently after the interval following tactical changes from Herd. Dominica saw more of the ball and became more willing to push forward as it looked to get back into the contest.
“We switched up in the second half, we got a lot more of the ball, we tried to be more proactive,” the coach noted.
The improved second-half performance saw the Bouyon Boyz create several chances, although none resulted in a goal. Herd was also encouraged by the defensive response, with Dominica preventing Puerto Rico from adding to its tally during the second half.
While the result went against Dominica, Herd said the team remains committed to an attacking approach and will not abandon its style of football when facing stronger opponents.
Looking ahead, Dominica will face another challenging assignment against Guyana, with Herd expected to consider tactical changes and possible adjustments to the starting lineup.
The coach said the technical staff will first assess the players’ fitness and overall condition before determining how the team will approach the upcoming match.
The Bouyon Boyz will meet Guyana in Puerto Rico later this week as they continue their Nations League campaign.
Match Results
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| September 24 | Dominica vs Cayman Islands | 0-0 |
| September 24 | Puerto Rico vs Guyana | 0-1 |
| September 27 | Guyana vs Cayman Islands | 2-0 |
| September 27 | Dominica vs Puerto Rico | 0-2 |
