Vincy Heat/ Antigua and Barbuda level International Football friendlies

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ senior men’s team Vincy Heat and their Antigua and Barbuda counterparts levelled their two match friendly series one a piece, played here last weekend.{{more}}

The host won the first match last Friday at the Victoria Park, 1-0. The lone strike came when captain Shandell Samuel swiveled and shot with his left to beat goal keeper Troy Dublin in the 55th minute.

Samuel was making amends for an earlier opportunity, presented to him on a platter, after Cornelius Stewart shredded the Antiguans defence.

The second match played on Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field saw Antigua and Barbuda coming away with a 2-1 triumph.

The visitors looked more purposeful, while the Vincentians were evidently lethargic on the larger Arnos Vale pitch.

Lawson Robinson’s snap shot in the 19th minute spread eagled goal keeper Kenyon Lynch, but all he could do was to retrieve the ball from the back of the net.

The Antiguans doubled the lead in the 51st minute when their talisman Peter Byers made good of a defence lapse by the Vincentians to toe home the ball.

The hosts responded in the 55th minute, when captain Shandell Samuel netted from the penalty spot, having been brought down in the area.

The Antiguans are preparing for the semi final stage of the CONCACAF zone of the 2014 world cup, where they are set to meet Guatemala, the USA and Jamaica.

Antigua and Barbuda meet the USA in their first match on June 8, at the Raymond James Stadium in Fort Lauderdale Florida.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines did not make it to this phase of the world cup qualifiers, but are preparing for the 2012 Digicel Caribbean Cup, set for later this year. (RT)