Suriname’s maiden voyage in the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2021 will never be forgotten and their continuous improvement could well lead to more success in 2023.

Despite not advancing from the group stage in the 2021 tournament, Suriname achieved many first-time accomplishments in their debut.

Their first Gold Cup match ever was an opening 2-0 defeat to two-time finalists Jamaica in which Suriname were very competitive throughout.

That was followed by the nation’s first ever Gold Cup goal, scored by 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League Top Scorer Gleofilo Vlijter, who tallied the Suriname goal in the 2-1 defeat with Costa Rica.

To complete their debut Gold Cup group stage, Suriname earned their first ever Gold Cup victory in a 2-1 final over Guadeloupe in which Vlijter and Nigel Hasselbaink supplied the goals.

For Suriname, the attention now shifts to the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims following their third-place finish in Group A of League A of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.

In addition to an own goal in the 1-1 home draw versus Jamaica, Yanic Wildschut scored the other Suriname goal in this year’s CNL, while Ryan Donk supplied the assist.

In goal, Suriname can expect to be in good hands with either Warner Hahn or Joey Roggeveen. Hahn recorded seven saves in the 2022-23 CNL, while Roggeveen had four.

Suriname’s Gold Cup Prelims journey begins against Puerto Rico, and should they emerge victorious, they would advance to face the winner of the Martinique-Saint Lucia contest.

A victory in that Prelims second round match would advance Suriname to Group C, where they would face a trio of Central American sides, Panama, El Salvador and 2021 Gold Cup foe Costa Rica.