Anguish for Anguilla on second attempt

[Anguillan newsboy]

The northernmost of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles area of the Caribbean, Anguilla is a tiny country with an irregularly played amateur league and a small group of footballers to choose from. They are typically placed in the very lower regions of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings and will be hard pressed to make any sort of impact even in the early rounds of the the Caribbean zone.

Considering they just joined their continental organisation and FIFA in 1996, expectations are deservedly low for the country of just over 12,000 people. In their first and only FIFA World Cup™ qualifying matches, the brightly dressed turquoise and orange side were eliminated by the Bahamas by an aggregate score of 5-2 at the beginning of 2000. Oddly enough, both of their goals in that tie came via the penalty spot.

In qualifying for Germany 2006, they faced the Dominican Republic, slumping to a lopsided 6-0 loss in the first leg in Santo Domingo. They rallied to shut down the favourites in a respectable 0-0 draw at the same venue in the second leg. Though not enough to see them through, a first-ever FIFA World Cup qualifying draw may well lay the groundwork for future endeavours.
Founded 1992
Affiliated 1996
WC participations None
WC honours None
Continental Titles None
Facts

* Anguilla made their first major international appearance in the preliminary round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup™, but failed to qualify for the finals in Japan and Korea.


* The team lost 3-1 at home and 2-1 in the return leg against the Bahamas. The Caribbean island with a population of 13,000 people achieved their best result in 2001 when they beat Montserrat 4-1. But they suffered a bitter defeat in 1998, when Guyana crushed them 14-0.


* The British colony, whose national flag shows three flying dolphins, are making their second appearance in a FIFA World Cup.