MIAMI, Florida – If history is any indication, fans will be in for a treat when Cuba take on French Guiana in the First Round of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims on Saturday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The two nations have played each other previously on three different occasions, all coming in Caribbean Cup play with each side garnering a win and one draw.
A Cuba win in 2021 and a French Guiana victory in 2016 sandwiched a draw in 2014, meaning the winner of Saturday’s contest will have an edge in the all-time series.
By virtue of their third-place finish in the group in League A, Cuba are in the Prelims, while a second place finish in their group in League B earned French Guiana a place in Saturday’s contest.
Both sides will be coming with ample reinforcements from players based outside their respective countries.
For a Cuba side seeking their 10th Gold Cup group stage appearance, there is FW Onel Hernandez of English outfit Norwich City, who made his Cuba debut in the First Round of CWCQ and finished with two goals.
The other side of Cuba’s dynamic dup is FW Maykel Reyes of Honduran club Real Sociedad. Reyes scored in both the win over British Virgin Islands and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in CWCQ.
French Guiana have one Gold Cup appearance under their belts, in 2017, and one of the key figures from that team is back with this year’s group in FW Sloan Privat.
The 31-year-old scored one of his country’s two goals in the 2017 tournament and will be aided by a defense that includes former Paris Saint-Germain DF Kevin Rimane, Stade Brestois 29 DF Ludovic Baal and Boulogne GK Simon Lugier.
Game Notes CUBA vs FRENCH GUIANA
