… Guyana, Nicaragua play to 0-0 draw

MIAMI, Florida – Puerto Rico, El Salvador and St Kitts & Nevis were among some of the big winners on Friday, as 2022 CONCACAF W Championship Qualifying continued.

Puerto Rico managed to keep their record perfect in Group A with their third win in three games, but it was far from easy in a 2-0 final against Suriname at the Estadio Centroamericano in Mayaguez.

Nickolette Driesse got the hosts off to a good start with a right-footed shot from outside the area that rippled the net for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. Puerto Rico then tacked on the crucial insurance goal in the 66th minute, with Jillienne Aguilera steering in a left-footed shot off a wayward Suriname header to complete the 2-0 scoreline.

St Kitts and Nevis handed Guatemala their first defeat in Group B with a 2-1 win for the Caribbean side at the Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala.
St Kitts and Nevis were first to score, as Iyanla Bailey-Williams converted from the penalty spot after a foul in the Guatemalan area for a 1-0 lead to the visitors.

Kyra Dickinson was superb in net for St Kitts and Nevis, making a number of saves to keep her side ahead until the 49th minute when Celsa Cruz finally tallied the 1-1 equaliser by slotting home a left-footed shot.
Things stood on a knife’s edge in the final half-hour, but in the end the spoils belonged to St Kitts and Nevis, as Jahzara Claxton’s powerful header in the 71st handed the 2-1 win to the guests.

The action was just was intense in the day’s affair in Group C, as the Dominican Republic narrowly defeated Bermuda in a hard-fought 1-0 final at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.
After having a trio of looks at goal earlier in the contest, Vanessa Kara made sure her fourth rip at goal hit the back of the net, as she fired in a free kick in the 87th to win it for the home side.

El Salvador used a very strong first 16 minutes to power their way to a 2-0 win versus Barbados in Group D at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.

It was a dream start for the hosts, as Yoselyn Lopez tucked away a right-footed shot just 19 seconds into the match for a 1-0 El Salvador advantage. El Salvador kept piling on the pressure and they were rewarded in the 16th when a header from Barbados DF Alyssa Yard ended up in her own net to double the El Salvador lead to 2-0.

Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith came within a whisker of pulling a goal back for Barbados with a shot off the post in the 77th, but in the end, El Salvador nailed down the clean sheet win and the three points.
Cuba’s high-flying attack was kept under wraps in a 0-0 draw with Honduras in Group E action at the Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.

Entering the match, the Cubans had scored 17 goals, but they could not find a way past Honduras GK Sherrie Arzu. Meanwhile, Honduras also had a few looks at goal, including Linda Moncada. hitting the post early in the second half, but Cuba GK Alianne Matamoro made all the necessary saves.

There was also a stalemate in Group F, as Guyana and Nicaragua played to a 0-0 draw at the National Track and Field Facility in Leonora, Guyana.

It was a day in which both GKs stood tall, as Guyana’s Chante Sandiford and Nicaragua’s Bethania Aburto made the saves to secure a point for their respective sides. (Concacaf.com)