Undefeated Guyana’s Golden Jaguars essentially sealed their League ‘A’ berth in the CONCACAF Nations League, defeating Puerto Rico 3-1 for the second consecutive match in League ‘B’ yesterday at the St. Kitts and Nevis Training Centre.
The fixture mirrored their prior encounter on Saturday [3-1] at the same venue, with the Puerto Ricans dictating the contest in the first half and the Golden Jaguars responding in a superb manner in the second half to clinch the come-from-behind victory.
With the win, the Golden Jaguars, who maintained their perfect record, climbing to 12 points, will simply need a draw in either of their final two fixtures against The Bahamas [November 18th] or Antigua and Barbuda [November 21st], respectively, to seal their place in League A.
The Guyana starting XI for their previous season comprised Quillan Roberts, Reiss Greenidge, Curtez Kellman, Jalen Jones, Jonathan Grant, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Kelsey Benjamin, Daniel Wilson, Elliot Bonds, Omari Glasgow, and Liam Gordon.
As great as Guyana was in the contest, which was primarily in the second half, the Puerto Ricans were simply poor in possession, with two of the concessions unforced errors by their rearguard. Although the Golden Jaguars struggled for offensive fluency in the first period, their best chance came in the 38th minute when Gordon was denied by the leg of the goalkeeper after uncorking a powerful strike from the left side of the box after racing onto a through pass following a counterattack.
However, Puerto Rico eventually took the lead in the 42nd minute through Gerald Diaz, who finished past the advancing goalkeeper with a lobbed shot into the right corner during a one-on-one situation after racing onto a long pass from the goalkeeper.
Nonetheless, it would take Guyana a mere three minutes into the second half to level proceedings when Nathan Moriah-Welsh scored. The first of the two defensive errors led to the aforesaid conversion, as an errant first-time pass by the Puerto Rico player after receiving an initial pass from the goalkeeper was intercepted by the advancing Moriah-Welsh, who slotted into the empty net from inside the penalty area.
Although Benjamin had a chance to push Guyana ahead in the 64th minute when he fired wide of the lower right corner from inside the penalty area, Deon Moore would ensure Guyana took a 2-1 lead via a 76th minute conversion.
The strike was engineered by Duke-McKenna, who delivered a cross from the left side of the box, which was headed into the back of the net by Moore inside the six-yard area.
Glasgow then applied the finishing touches in the 84th minute, with the defensive line once again at fault for the conversion, as the wily forward latched onto an errant pass from the final defender before rifling the ball into the lower left corner from inside the right of the penalty box.
