Bermuda to face DC United in friendly

Bermuda face Mexico in their final group B game in League A of the Concacaf Nations League next month



Bermuda will warm up for their Concacaf Nations League match against Mexico with a friendly against Major League Soccer side DC United in the US Virgin Islands next month.

Kyle Lightbournes side will play DC United on November 15 before travelling to Toluca, about 40 miles from Mexico City, where they take on Mexico four days later.

Mark Wade, the Bermuda Football Association president, believes DC United, who reached the MLS play-offs this season, will serve as ideal preparation for the islands final group B match in League A against Mexico.

They [Bermuda] will play DC United in USVI on November 15 and then they will travel over to Mexico to play Mexico in Toluca, Wade told the BFAs podcast On Da Bench.

Its going to be interesting for them to be playing in front of an MLS team ... maybe some opportunities for some of our players.

These are the things we do in the office to create these opportunities for the players.

Wade said that the high altitude in Toluca will be another challenge for the Bermuda players to overcome when they meet the Gold Cup champions. The thinner air means fewer oxygen molecules are inhaled with every breath, which can have an adverse affect on players physical and mental capabilities.

Its going to be challenging for them because its going to be at high altitude, Wade added.

Thats another element for them to deal with but another step on the learning curve as well, to see how they adapt to these type of situations.

Bermuda are at the foot of group B on goal difference, four inferior to second-place Panama. The bottom nation will be relegated to League B.

Lightbournes outfit secured a top seat at the Nations League table by finishing fifth in the qualifiers, which also led to them reaching the Gold Cup for the first time last summer.

They showed real progress at the regional competition, suffering narrow 2-1 defeats to Haiti and Costa Rica before defeating Nicaragua 2-0.

Bermuda started their Nations League campaign with a 4-1 defeat to Panama at the National Stadium before avenging that loss by beating the Central Americans 2-0 three days later thanks to a Nahki Wells brace.

In their third group B game, Bermuda were beaten 5-1 by Mexico.