Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands played out a goalless stalemate, while US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands played to a 1-1 stalemate in their respective first legs, as first round action of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers got underway on Friday.
Anguilla 0-0 Turks and Caicos Islands
The action started with Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands failing to get on the score sheet at the Raymond E. Guishard Stadium in Anguilla.
The result halts an 11-match losing streak for Anguilla in World Cup Qualifying.
It was a very cagey first 45 minutes between the two sides, with little in the way of scoring chances.
Things opened up in the second half and Anguilla should have broken the deadlock when they won a penalty, but they were unable to convert.
In the end, the Turks and Caicos Islands defence held firm to secure the goalless draw, leaving things wide open for Tuesday’s second leg.
US Virgin Islands 1-1 British Virgin Islands
The second match of the day offered a bit more in terms of entertainment, as British Virgin Islands came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with US Virgin Islands at the Bethlehem Soccer Stadium in Upper Bethlehem, USVI.
Scoring chances were few and far between in the first half, but it was a different story in the second half, as USVI scored the first goal of the day in the 73rd.
A long throw-in was headed in the area and fell perfectly for Jett Blaschka, who chested the ball to himself and finished a left-footed shot.
BVI camped out in USVI's quarters in their probe for an equalizer, but they found their opponents defence in a defiant mood at that point.
However, BVI’s Justin Smith had other plans and in the second minute of second half stoppage time, he fired home from close-range to earn his side a crucial away goal to keep things even heading into the second leg.
Spanish-speak Caribbean nation Cuba joined Central Americans El Salvador and Guatemala on the verge of progression to the Concacaf Men's Championships following their latest victories in their respective qualifying campaigns on Thursday.
Group A
Cuba edged Belize 1-0 at the Estadio Nacional in Managua, courtesy of Aniel Casanova 12th-minute strike, to pull level with host nation Nicaragua on nine points at the top of the group.
The other contest on the day saw British Virgin Islands (BVI) register their second win in a 3-1 beating of Anguilla.
Azarni Callwood (18th, 23rd, 89th) scored all three goals for BVI, while Jared Smeins (28th), pulled one back for Anguilla.
Group B
Guyana registered their first victory of the campaign when they edged Turks and Caicos Islands 2-1, at the ABFA Technical Centre in Piggots, Antigua and Barbuda.
Ezekial Rowland's brace (32nd, 55th) was enough to get the job done for the Golden Jaguars, while Emmanuel Martin (90th) got on the scoresheet for Turks and Caicos Islands. Both teams are out of contention where topping the group is concerned.
The feature contest of the day ended with a massive three points for El Salvador, who blanked Suriname, 3-0.
Christopher Argueta (17th), Nestor Delgado (24th) and Kiano Casamalhuapa (66th) did the damage for El Salvador, who now sit atop the group on seven points, one point ahead of Antigua and Barbuda and Suriname, on six points each.
This makes things interesting heading into Saturday's final round of games, as Antigua and Barbuda will lock horns with El Salvador in a top-of-the-table clash, while Suriname will have the easier task against Turks and Caicos Islands.
Victory for Suriname could propel them to the top, but only if the Antigua and Barbuda clash with El Salvador, end in a stalemate.
Group C
Host nation Guatemala assumed pole position in the group with nine points, after a 4-0 win over Aruba, at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City.
Rudy Munoz (8th), Daniel Mendez (24th, 37th), Matthew Evans (45th) and Axel De La Cruz (85th) gave the home crowd much to cheer about.
Guatemala are now two points ahead of Curacao, with both set to meet in the decisive contest on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Barbados registered a morale-boosting 4-2 win over St Martin to take some positive from their failed campaign.
Barbados's goals came from Xavier Webster (1st), Ethan Taylor (77th) and Khalil Vanderpool Nurse (80th, 90+1), while Jaheem Joe (42nd) and a Warren Trotman own goal (72nd) got St Martin's goals.
Thierry Anthony bagged a brace which assisted Bonaire to a 3-0 victory over Anguilla in their Concacaf Nations League Group A, League C encounter at the Raymond E. Guishard Stadium in The Valley, Anguilla on Saturday.
With the win, Bonaire moved to six points from three games, still three points behind leaders St Martin. The two will meet in the group finale on Tuesday, with Bonaire needing to win by a wide margin if they are to take top spot and promotion to League B.
Bonaire could not have asked for a better start, as they took the lead in a mere three minutes, as Anthony deflected a cross in from the right wing.
Anthony doubled Bonaire's lead three minutes later when he converted a penalty, after Jonathan Libania was taken down in the area.
Anguilla's defence did a nice job to deny Bonaire any further goals at that point, as they created several good chances.
At the other end, Anguilla also found some rhythm, but nothing that got past Bonaire's goalkeeper Denyor Cicilia.
Anthony was denied a hat-trick in the 64th when he was played in but was denied on the reaction save from Anguilla's custodian Jelanie Lawrence.
Anthony instead assumed the role of playmaker and crafted the third Bonaire goal by whipping in a cross from the right flank that was stabbed home by Freadyen Michiel in the 73rd to cap the win.
Curacao, Aruba and Belize, all came up trumps in their respective League C Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifying fixtures on Monday.
Curacao vs. Anguilla
Curacao assumed pole position in Group D after they downed Anguilla 5-2 at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca in Willemstad.
With the win, Curacao moved up to maximum six points from two games, while Anguilla are on four points from three matches.
Curacao enjoyed a great start with three goals inside the first 20 minutes. Kadisha Martina got the show going in the fifth minute with an easy finish.
The lead was doubled in the 12th as Taisha Hansen converted a penalty. Four minutes later, Hansen found the slashing Sadeyah Rosa, who hammered into net from a yard out.
Anguilla pulled a goal back in the 30th as Adriana Connor punched in a shot from inside the area.
But back came Curacao in the second half. Lauryn Richardson made it 4-1 on the hour-mark with a calm penalty conversion.
Two minutes later in the 62nd, Hansen scored her second of the night when her shot trickled in past Anguilla goalkeeper Esther Ward.
Anguilla would get one last goal in the 89th through Camile Gumbs, whose corner kick ended up rolling off the fingertips of Curacao's Julainy Fanijten and into goal.
Aruba vs. Bonaire
Aruba avenged their 3-1 defeat to Bonaire in Group A from last Thursday, with a 5-0 victory at home at the Complejo Deportivo Guillermo Prospero Trinidad in Oranjestad.
Aisse Gumbs opened the scoring in the 30th when she finished off a pass from Bonny Lammers.
Tarianna Doornkamp then doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time with a strong right-footed finish.
Vanessa Susanna stretched the advantage in the 63rd, thanks in part to a nice pass from Lammers, who then scored a goal of her own in the 86th to make it 4-0 when she ran onto a long ball from Aruba goalkeeper Hadassah Kock.
Susanna then capped the 5-0 festivities in the 90+4 when she turned in a rebound off a Lammers shot.
Belize vs. Turks and Caicos Islands
Belize consolidated their lead atop Group A with their fourth win in as many games, as they after blanked Turks and Caicos Islands 3-0 at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan.
The host broke the deadlock in the 44th and did so in style. A free kick from Mikhaila Bowden was played on the ground to Kaite Jones, who then flipped the ball to herself and hit an overhead kick into net for a 1-0 Belize lead.
Momentum was on Belize’s side, and they doubled the cushion in the 48th on a Right-footed finish from Khalydia Velasquez.
Jones then completed her brace of the night in the 52nd with a header off a corner kick.
As if things weren't already bad enough for Turks and Caicos Islands, Pekiera Brooks was given marching orders in the 56th when she picked up a second yellow card of the night.
However, Belize was unable to make the numerical advantage count to add to their tally.
League C of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League returned on Thursday with important encounters in Group A and Group C.
Bonaire vs. Anguilla
Bonaire earned their first win of this CNL campaign in Group A with a 2-0 triumph over Anguilla at the Stadion Antonio Trenidat in Rincon, Bonaire.
Bonaire are now back in the race for group honours with three points through two games, three points behind leaders St Martin. Anguilla are in third place with zero points.
Bonaire carved out their first goal of the night through Ginel Ronde in the 10th, as he polished off a counterattack spearheaded by Jonathan Libania for a 1-0 Bonaire advantage.
The lead was then doubled in the 36th, as Marschelon Pourier knocked in a shot from just a few yards out after Anguilla were unable to clear their lines.
With the two-goal cushion, Bonaire could play to their liking and confidently saw things out to pocket the victory.
Dominica vs. British Virgin Islands
The top two teams in Group C met and showed that there is little difference between them after a 1-1 draw between Dominica and British Virgin Islands at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St Lucia.
Each side now has four points after two games, with Dominica ahead on goal difference.
Luka Chalwell scored two goals in the September window and picked up where he left off by scoring the opening goal for British Virgin Islands in the 29th.
A long ball was hoofed upfield and Chalwell controlled it superbly, taking a touch and then firing a right-footed shot into net.
Dominica went to work on finding an equalizer and their efforts were finally rewarded in the latter stages, as Briel Thomas struck in the 82th to make it 1-1.
A free kick from the right flank was curled into the area by Troy Jules and Thomas met it with a soaring header to deliver the precious point to his side.
St Kitts and Nevis defeated St Martin 3-1 in their Concacaf Nations League Group B encounter at the Raymond E. Guishard Technical Centre in Anguilla on Thursday.
St Kitts, playing a 4-3-3 formation started with Julanni Archibald in goal with Lois Maynard at left back Raheem Hanley and Andre Burley at centre back while Gerard Williams marshalled the right side.
Romaine Sawyers, Omari Sterling James and Yohannes Mitchum played in the middle of the park while Tyrese Shade, Keithroy Freeman and the SKNFA Premier League’s leading scorer Tiquanny Williams in the attacking positions front.
St Martin, meanwhile, playing 3-5-2, started with Jordan Etienne in goal with Mickael Clio, Stephan Varsovie and Donovan Fils Aime protecting the goal.
Across midfield were from left to right Belony Dumas, Kevin Zonzon, Ismael Petchy, Emmanuel Richardson and Randy Gentes.
Pierre Bertrand Arne and Jeremy Peterson were the starting forwards.
Williams gave the Sugar Boyz the lead in the 26th minute. However, the lead did not last long as St Martin pulled level five minutes later through Pierre-Bertrand Arne.
Sawyers sent St Kitts and Nevis into the break with a 2-1 lead when he scored in the 35th minute.
That score-line would hold until Harry Panayiotou, who came on as a substitute for James in the 77th minute, secured all three points scoring the game winner a minute from full-time.
The win takes St Kitts and Nevis to the top of Group B with seven points from their three games to date.
Aruba lie second with four points while St Martin have two points from four games played.
St Kitts return home to face Aruba on Monday.
Mexico remained in first place in Group A thanks to an 11-0 win over Anguilla at the Raymond E. Guishard Stadium in The Valley, Anguilla as action resumed in the 2022 Concacaf W Championship Qualifying on Saturday.
Alicia Cervantes (3’, 9’, 56’) had a hat trick, Diana Ordonez (57’, 68’) and Katty Martinez (73’, 89’) each had braces, while Maricarmen Reyes (15’), Sandra Mayor (39’), Casandra Montero Rodriguez (52’) and Jimena Lopez (63’) added their names to the scoresheet for El Tricolor.
Costa Rica got a massive performance from star FW Raquel Rodriguez, who scored a hat trick to power the Ticas to a 4-0 win against Curacao in Group B at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisa in Willemstad, Curacao.
Rodriguez scored her goals in the 22’, 28’ and 64’, while Priscila Chinchilla chipped in with a score in the 57’ to give Costa Rica a three-point advantage in the group standings.
Laurie Batista was the hero on the day for Panama with a hat trick to help her side march past Aruba 9-0 in Group D at the F.F.B Football Field in Belmopan, Belize.
Batista scored in the 8’, 19’ and 45’, in addition to a Marta Cox brace (44’, 64’) and goals from Karla Riley (30’), Kenia Rangel (34’), Erika Hernandez (55’) and Gabriela Leonards (68’), keeping the Canaleras atop the group.
Table toppers Haiti flexed their scoring muscles in a 21-0 victory against the British Virgin Islands in Group E at the A.O Shirley Recreation Ground in Road Town, BVI.
Batcheba Louis (33’, 39’, 42’, 58’, 89’) had five goals, Roselord Borgella (4’, 21’, 22’, 45’) recorded four goals, Melchie Dumornay (6’, 11’, 32’), Roseline Eloissaint (63’, 73’, 79’) and Mikerline Saintfelix (84’, 87’, 90’) all notched hat tricks to go along with a Kara Lewis own goal (8’) and scores from Nerilia Mondesir (51’) and Kethna Louis (77’).
Trinidad and Tobago are now atop Group F after posting a 13-0 win versus Turks and Caicos Islands at the TCIFA National Academy in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
Chelcy Ralph (6’, 17’, 82’) tallied a hat trick, Karyn Forbes (33’, 45’), May Matouk (49’, 66’) and Raenah Campbell (72’, 86’) each had braces, while Lauryn Hutchinson, Cecily Stoute, Liana Hinds and Maria-Frances Serrant all joined in on the scoresheet in the win.
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