Golden Jaguars target Gold Cup return with crucial match against Guatemala

The Golden Jaguars embark on their quest to return to the CONCACAF Gold Cup tonight as from 21:00h, they will face a formidable Guatemalan side at the Barbados Technical Centre.

Securing at least a point in this opening leg is crucial for Guyana, as the decisive second leg will be played in Guatemala on March 25.

The aggregate winner will advance to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage.

Guyana faces a daunting task against Guatemala, a team ranked ninth in CONCACAF and a consistent presence in the Gold Cup.

Ranked 19th, the Golden Jaguars will need to overcome a history of recent defeats against their higher-ranked opponents.

Guatemala’s strong record in the Gold Cup, having missed only six editions since 1963, highlights the challenge facing Guyana. The Golden Jaguars, who qualified for the main draw in 2019, have struggled to progress beyond the preliminary rounds since.

Recent encounters between the two sides have favoured Guatemala, with victories of 3-1 in the Nations League and 4-0 in the 2021 Gold Cup preliminaries.

Interim head coach Wayne Dover will lead the Golden Jaguars, with Marco Bonofiglio and Sam Cox serving as assistant coaches.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) cited logistical and playing condition evaluations for the decision to play the match in Barbados rather than Guyana.

Golden Jaguars Squad:

Goalkeepers: Quilan Roberts, Kai McKenzie-Lyle, Akel Clarke

Defenders: Liam Gordon, Romaine Brackenridge, Leo Lovell, Jalen Jones, Colin Nelson, Reiss Greenidge, Jeremy Garrett, Curtez Kellman

Midfielders: Elliot Bonds, Nathan Moriah-Welch, Maliq Cadogan, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Nathan Ferguson, Daniel Wilson

Forwards: Omari Glasgow, Kelsey Benjamin, Osaze De Rosario, Enoch George, Liam Butts, Morgan Ferrier, Isaiah Jones