(ABOVE) Action from the World Cup qualifier between St. Vincent & the Grenadines and visiting Guatemala (white jersey) on November 17, 2015, in Kingstown.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent & the Grenadines – Guatemala (1W-0D-1L, 3 points) notched its first points in the fourth round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, posting a 4-0 win over the host St. Vincent & the Grenadines (0W-0D-2L, 0 points) on Tuesday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.
The performance was the response that head coach Ivan Sopegno viewed as essential after his Chapines fell 2-1 at home to Trinidad & Tobago on Friday. SVG lost for the second straight time and has conceded 10 goals in its first two outings.
Carlos Ruiz, the leading scorer in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying history (31 goals), nearly put the visitor ahead twice within the opening 20 minutes, before Stefano Cincotta made it 1-0 with a 24th minute free kick.
The advantage was doubled in the 32nd minute, when Portugal-based forward Minor Lopez netted his third career WCQ goal after goalkeeper Winslow McDowall saved a Ruiz effort.
Three minutes after the break, Guatemala put the game out of reach as Municipal defender Dennis Lopez headed in Brandon De Leon’s cross.
Second-half substitute Gerson Tinoco punctuated the scoreline with nine minutes left in normal time for his first international goal.
Guatemala returns to Group C qualifying play at home against the United States on March 25, while SVG will host regional-rival Trinidad & Tobago that same day.
