BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

THE BAHAMAS and Bermuda chose contrasting routes but still booked their places in the next round of the World Cup qualifying campaign on Sunday night.

While Bermuda trounced The Cayman Islands 3-1 to win 4-2 on aggregate, The Bahamas drew 2-2 with The British Virgin Islands to finish with a 3-3 tie on aggregate. They advanced on virtue of away goals. At the Grand Cayman's Truman Bodden Sports Complex, Bermuda got two first-half goals from Devaun Degraff to post a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime.

For good measure

Kwame Steede added a third for good measure seven minutes after the interval to ensure Bermuda would continue to thrive in the CONCACAF competition.

Marshall Forbes fired home a 63rd-minute penalty but it was not enough to keep the Caymanians' hopes alive.

At the National Centre in Nassau, the hosts wasted a 2-0 lead in their second-leg match to almost squander their chance to reach the next round.

Michael Bethel's 41st-minute strike gave the Bahamians a 1-0 halftime lead and Demont Mitchel added another goal in the 57th minute to put the hosts firmly on course.

But Anadale Williams answered with two strikes to turn the tie on its head. He found the nets in the 78th minute and then scored from the spot in the 90th minute before time ended their comeback.