The Belize National Football Selection fielded by the Football Federation of Belize has won through to the next round of qualifying matches for the World Cup Brazil 2014. Belize won 3-1over the island nation of Montserrat in a "home" game at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula last Sunday, July 17th. Belize's explosive young striker Daniel Jimenez gave Belize her first goal after some 23 minutes of action when by polishing off a pass to center from Elroy Kuylen who had put on a burst of speed to escape the marking of the islanders' defense.

Belize held on to her 1-0 lead up to intermission, but Gayle Hodgson drilled home a beauty of a shot past Belize's goalkeeper Shane Orio to equalize for the island boys some 14 minutes into the second half.

It was the visitors' only flash in the pan as the Belize eleven dominated play for much of the second half and Deon MaCaulay scored the second, winning goal for a 2-1 lead a minute later.

Luis Mendez was sufficiently recovered from an injury in the first game to put the victory on ice with a third goal two minutes later.

Belize and the US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia and the Bahamas now join 19 other countries in the group stage of six groups of four countries each. The draw to determine in which group Belize will be placed , will be held in Rio de Janeiro on July 30.

Panama, Canada, El Salvador, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago and Haiti are leading the series, which includes Antigua, Guyana, Suriname, St Kitts & Nevis, Guatemala, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Curacao, St Vincent, the Cayman Islands, Nicaragua and Bermuda.

The Reporter