KINGSHILL — It was an exciting day at the Bethlehem Soccer Stadium as honorary hosts Sint Maarten got a hat trick from Gerwin Lake to down League C Group A leaders Bonaire 6-1 to pull within striking distance of the group title.
The result leaves Sint Maarten only two points back of Bonaire and sets up a dramatic final matchday on Tuesday.
Sint Maarten struck first, when Chovanie Amatkarijo made a nice run into the box and dumped the ball to Elmer De Vries, who beat his defenders before slotting one home in the fifth minute.
Not long after, in the ninth minute, it was Amatkarijo again who found Gerwin Lake on a very precise cut through the Bonaire defense. Lake calmly fired past Bonaire GK Nathaniel Meyer to put Sint Maarten up 2-0 early.
Just one minute into the second half, Amatkarijo got a goal of his own with a powerful right-footed finish after a slick-looking leave from Lake at the top of the box.
Lake added a fourth in the 55th minute to move into sole possession of the League C scoring lead with six goals to his name, before T-Shawn Illidge netted a fifth in the 62nd.
Bonaire did get a consolation goal via a fantastic, long curling strike from Guillermo Montero in the 69th minute.
Lake converted an 84th penalty to complete his hat trick (his second hat trick of the tournament) and increase his goal tally to seven, tying Guadeloupe FW Raphael Mirval’s League C scoring record from the previous cycle.
Bonaire will head home for their final game of the campaign for their first ever competitive match on the island of Bonaire at the Stadion Antonio Trenidat, still with a chance to win promotion in front of their home fans.
Sint Maarten will remain in Saint Croix for a road fixture with the U.S. Virgin Islands in their finale.