‘WOOD’ PLAYER REPRESENT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA IN 2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Boreham Wood midfielder Justin Cochrane flew to Antigua last week to represent Antigua and Barbuda against Haiti in World Cup qualifying game for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Antigua and Barbuda, with an approximate population of just 89,000, overcame giants Haiti 1-0, who in comparison have a population of over ten million to take selection from.

Haiti are one of only four Caribbean nations ever to reach a FIFA World Cup and they were crowned champions of the Caribbean in 2007. But that didn’t keep them from going out at the hands of tiny neighbours Antigua and Barbuda, who made history in front of 5000 fans in a cricket stadium in their capital of St. John’s. Kerry Skepple, a 30-year-old journeyman midfielder who once had a brief stint in the Finnish second division, poked home the most important goal in Antigua and Barbuda’s sporting history with eight minutes to go. The Antiguans now join the big boys in the next round, where they take on USA, Jamaica and Guatemala.