Jags’ chances of Gold Cup qualification heighten

CONCACAF Nations League…

Guyana’s chances of qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold Cup have been given a boost owing to a favourable response from the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee to sanction the Barbados Football Association (BFA) for fielding ineligible players in the match against Guyana, played on September 6, 2018.
This decision has resulted in Guyana being awarded the three points – which now puts Guyana in eighth position, with six points. Guyana is now placed behind Curacao, Haiti, Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique and Bermuda. The top 10 teams will qualify for the Gold Cup.
A CONCACAF release issued on Thursday detailed: “After due examination of the evidence, the Committee determined that the Barbados Football Association infringed the applicable articles of the Tournament Regulations and the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statuses in relation to the eligibility of players to play for representative teams by fielding ineligible players Hallam Hope and Kystian Pearce. In accordance with articles 55 and 31 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the BFA is considered to have lost the match against Guyana by a score of 3 – 0.”
In an invited comment, Jags Head Coach Michael Johnson said the position taken is great for the preservation of the integrity of the sport. “We acknowledge the strength and conviction of the governing bodies to uphold the integrity and the honesty which the game demands.
We now look forward to the game in March, which should be a wonderful celebration for the country as we strive to make history. Simple win and we are there in the Gold Cup.”
Jags Technical Director Ian Greenwood endorsed the sentiments of the Head Coach by saying, “We can now create history with an extremely talented group of players; our destiny is now in our own hands. It’s very simple, we beat Belize in March and we qualify for Guyana’s first ever Gold Cup.”
While Guyana’s last qualifier against Belize is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, in Guyana, the country has had a favourable display in the CNL, with an original 2 – 2 draw against Barbados; a win against Turks and Caicos by an 8 – 0 margin, and a defeat against French Guiana by 2 – 1.