SURINAME only need a draw in their final group game against Bermuda tomorrow after winning their second game and Bermuda losing to the Netherlands Antilles  when the final CFU group competition continued last night at the Franklin Essed stadium in Paramaraibo.
Backed by their vociferous home support the Dutch boys came from behind to beat old rivals Guyana 2-1 in the most competitive match so far. Guyana took the lead in the 31st minute when forward Sheldon Holder blasted the nets from inside the area after out-muscling the Suriname defence.
Suriname levelled the score seconds from the interval after Mortimer Ramdehol brought down the dangerous Stefano Rijssel in the box. Rijssel’s well-struck right-booter had goalkeeper Richie Richards going to his left as the ball went to his right.
On the resumption the Surinamese came out in full attack and using the flanks were able to make inroads into the Guyana’s  defence but poor finishing saw the score remain tied until the 74th minute when the Guyanese defence went to sleep while the home side took a quick free kick deep on the right.
Second-half substitute Ilunga Eduardo had enough time to line up a perfect deep cross to the far post where Julnes Plat came in to cannon home the winner with his head and the fair-sized crowd erupted.
Suriname should have gone further ahead but the dreadlocked Dania Afiankoi, after breezing by right back Trenton Lashley and with the keeper at his mercy, shot high and wide much to the relief of the Guyanese.
As hard as they tried to get back on level terms the Surinamese had little difficulty in nullifying the unimaginative long, searching ball Guyana opted for.
The win makes it two from two for the Surinamese who now only need a draw in their final game to advance to the Guatemala finals in April.
Earlier in the night the Netherlands Antilles upstaged Bermuda 2-1 with the winner coming in the 90th minute from Ruchendro Kirindongo.
Brian Anasticia had given the Netherlands the lead in the 31st minute while Troy Tucker equalised for the Bermudans in the 54th minute. Guyana and the Netherlands will meet in the penultimate game tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s coach Collie Hercules told the media in a post-match comment that while he was pleased with the performance but diasppointed in the result, citing the lapse in concentration as the cause for the loss, “I thought it was a commendable peformance.
“The guys showed that they can compete and play well, but just two moments of losing concentration that cost us the game. We still have another game to play so we’ll go out and give another good performance.”