Preview: Guadeloupe vs. Guatemala
Guatemala and Guadeloupe can end lengthy knockout stage droughts at the Gold Cup on Tuesday when they face each other on the final day of group action at Red Bull Arena.
Over the weekend, Les Gwada Boys moved to the top of their group with a 4-1 win over Cuba, while La Bicolor kept Canada at bay, settling for a 0-0 draw.
Another outstanding team effort from Guadeloupe has this small Caribbean nation on the brink of the knockout stage at the Gold Cup for only the second time in their history.
Not since 2009 have they featured beyond the group portion of this tournament, but a victory or draw versus the Guatemalans would be enough to see them through as they currently have a goal difference of +3, while Los Chapines are at +1.
With a win on Tuesday, Jocelyn Angloma’s side would finish top of their group for the first time at the Gold Cup with seven points, which would be their highest-ever total in the group phase of this competition.
Their four goals scored on matchday two were the most this team had ever managed in a single group match at the Gold Cup, while the six that they have so far is one more than Guadeloupe had attained in their previous seven games in this competition.
Guadeloupe have only faced the Guatemalans once on the international stage, and like this upcoming meeting, there was everything to play for when the two sides drew 1-1, with Les Gwada Boys winning in a penalty shootout to qualify for the 2021 Gold Cup, though La Bicolor would later gain entry themselves when Curacao were expelled due to numerous positive COVID tests.
Since their opening Gold Cup qualification fixture versus Antigua and Barbuda, this team have come to life offensively, scoring multiple goals in four successive matches with a total of 13 over that stretch, eight more than they had all of last year.
Preview: Guadeloupe vs. Guatemala – prediction, team news, lineups
The Guatemalan backline stood tall on Saturday, maintaining their composure against the Canadians and claiming their second successive clean sheet of this competition.
Should Luis Fernando Tena’s men be able to keep Guadeloupe off the scoresheet on Tuesday, it would mark the first time that this team had ever ended this portion of the Gold Cup without conceding, and they would also become just the fifth nation this century to achieve that mark alongside Mexico (two), the USA (two), Jamaica (one) and Honduras (one).
More importantly, though, a victory in this upcoming fixture would send them into the quarter-finals of this tournament for the first time since 2011.
One more point would give them their highest-ever total at this stage of the tournament, while a draw might also be enough to see them through, but if they did that and Canada won their final game, it would come down to goal difference, and right now the Guatemalans are at +1 with the Canadians at 0.
Following a 2-0 defeat versus French Guiana on matchday two in the CONCACAF Nations League last year, Guatemala have only conceded multiple strikes in a single game once, while they head into this encounter having allowed just one goal in their previous four matches in all competitions.
Not since November 2015 has a Caribbean nation defeated them over 90 minutes, when Trinidad and Tobago claimed a 2-1 victory.
Guadeloupe CONCACAF Gold Cup form:
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Guadeloupe form (all competitions):
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Guatemala CONCACAF Gold Cup form:
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Guatemala form (all competitions):
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We say: Guadeloupe 1-1 Guatemala
These two evenly matched teams have shown plenty of resilience at the Gold Cup so far, and with so much at stake, we expect to see a nervy affair between a pair of sides who are not used to being in this position and may be afraid to take chances.