It was a historic day for both the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla as they picked up their maiden FIFA World Cup™ qualification wins to advance to the second round in Concacaf action in the Caribbean.

Both matches went all the way to penalties, with 17-year-old Azarni Callwood the hero as the British Virgin Islands saw off neighbours the US Virgin Islands after the match finished scoreless across the first 120 minutes in Road Town.

In Providenciales, it was 1-1 at the end of regulation and extra-time, with Kian Duncan scoring the decisive spot-kick as Anguilla ended 24 years of heartbreak to reach the second round for the very first time.

Winless in their previous 15 World Cup qualification matches, the British Virgin Islands finally found success in front of a vocal home crowd at the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground in Road Town.

After a scoreless 120 minutes, where the best chance of the match fell to the hosts in the 75th minute as they were denied by a goal-line clearance, it took penalties to separate the neighbouring teams.

It was a pair of teenagers who then emerged as the unlikely match-winners, with goalkeeper Frankie Beckles pulling off two impressive saves before 17-year-old starlet Arzani Callwood sent the keeper the wrong way with the fifth spot-kick to seal the 4-2 shootout win and send the British Virgin Islands through to the second round for the first time.

History was also made by Anguilla as they defeated Turks and Caicos Islands to also progress to the second round for the first time.

Heading into the match, Anguilla hadn’t won a single qualifier in 15 attempts and hadn’t scored a goal in their previous 13 outings. But that all changed at the TCIFA National Academy in Providenciales.

Captain Billy Forbes put the hosts in front midway through the first half only for a penalty from defender Luke Paris to square things up in the third minute of first-half stoppage-time.

With no further goals in regulation or extra-time, a shootout was required to settle matters, and Kian Duncan won it for Anguilla, sending the sixth penalty past a diving Sebastian Turbyfield.