HOUSTON, Texas — Suriname collected their first Concacaf Gold Cup victory with a 2-1 result over Guadeloupe as both teams concluded their participation in Group C of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup on Tuesday at BBVA Stadium in Houston.
Suriname took a 1-0 lead on a 14th minute strike from Gleofilo Vlijter, with the 21-year-old forward picking up his second goal of the tournament.
Guadeloupe didn’t stay behind for long, as Matthias Phaeton equalized with his first Gold Cup goal in the 20th minute.
Guadeloupe were left with 10 men in the 29th minute when Kelly Irep was sent off with a straight red card, but Les Gwada Boys hung in there and Raphael Mirval nearly scored his second of the tournament to give his side a lead, only to see his 42nd minute attempt denied by the top post.
Suriname would then have an opportunity of their own denied by the woodwork in first half stoppage time with a shot that deflected onto the crossbar, sending the teams into the halftime locker room tied at 1-1.
The deadlock stayed intact until Suriname got the breakthrough from Nigel Hasselbaink in the 79th minute.
Guadeloupe goalkeeper Kevin Ajax, who came up with 13 saves on the day, denied Ridgeciano Haps in the 85th minute to keep his side within one, and it almost paid off in the final moments when Steve Solvet nearly scored for Guadeloupe off a corner kick opportunity in stoppage time.
Solvet was then sent off in stoppage time, as was Quentin Annette, who received a second yellow.
For Suriname, the historic victory marks their first three points in the country’s tournament debut, and in addition to their promotion to League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League, Tuesday’s win marks the continued progress of the sport in the country.
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