CONCACAF Road to W Gold Cup: Lady Jags needle Suriname to go top of Group A
A glimpse of the Lady Jaguars’ encounter with Suriname
It was a win by the slimmest of margins for Guyana’s Lady Jags on Wednesday evening in Suriname, but it has caused them to leap to the top of Group A in League B of the CONCACAF Road to W Gold Cup Qualifier.
With the match being played at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium in Paramaribo, Jags Head Coach Omar Khan opted for a starting XI that featured Goalkeeper Chante Sandiford being supported by Anya Tribune, Sydney Cummings, Justine Rodrigues, Briana De Souza, Stefani Kouzas, Brianne Desa, Jalade Trim, Neema Liverpool and Shanice Alferd.
Fireworks were evident from the onset, as both teams battled to clinch the top spot in the group. Guyana’s first chance came as early as the 7th minute, when a well-placed shot from Otesha Charles flew across the face of the goal.
Guyana came knocking on the door again in the 18th, when Stefanie Kouzas looked set to score from a through ball, which was gobbled up by Surinamese keeper Mayra Tjin A Koeng, while Suriname made an attempt from a set piece ten minutes later, which was deflected by Guyana’s Sandiford.
The proverbial ice was broken in the 41st minute, however, when a Jalade Trim cross found Shanice Alferd perfectly placed in front the net, and she tucked it in for Guyana’s and the game’s only goal.
The goalkeepers had their work cut out for them, as they worked overtime to disallow any other attempts. Guyana had a minor scare in the second half when Katoucha Patra found the back of the net. However, the offside flag was raised on the line unknowing to the players.
The time expired with the score in Guyana’s favour, to push the Lady Jags to 6 points from 3 games and attainment of the top spot in the Group. While Suriname have the same number of points, Guyana have a superior goal difference. The other two teams in Group A are Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda
Guyana and Suriname will meet again on Sunday, October 29, at the same venue in another crucial encounter for the Lady Jags.
The top finisher in the Group will secure a spot in next year’s CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup preliminaries.
