MIAMI, Florida – With the year winding down, Concacaf is looking back at the most unforgettable moments and matches during 2018 in different tournaments held by the Confederation.
Today, we continue with the top five matches of 2019/20 Concacaf Nations League Qualifying.
1.- Cuba 1-0 Dominican Republic, Match-Day 3
These two teams arrived into this pivotal clash both unbeaten and unscored upon and the match lived up to the hype. Each side had a bevy of scoring chances only to be denied by the heroics of the two goalkeepers, Cuba’s Sandy Sanchez and Dominican Republic’s Miguel Lloyd. Finally, an 83’ strike from Yordan Santa Cruz was enough to lift the home side to all three points.
2.- Montserrat 1-0 Belize, Match.Day 2
After suffering a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to El Salvador in week one, Montserrat looked to regroup against Belize in week two. For the first 74 minutes it had to wonder if it would ever have any luck, as Belize GK Woodrow West was turning in a sublime performance. However, Spencer Weir would deliver a goal to remember 16 minutes from full-time with a right-footed shot that curled into the top right corner of the net for the win.
3.- Turks and Caicos Islands 3-2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Match-Day 3
It had been more than four years since its last international win, but with talisman Billy Forbes in the fold, Turks and Caicos Islands collected its first three points of CNLQ with a dramatic win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Forbes got the hosts off to a 2-0 halftime lead, only for Vincy Heat to strike late with a pair of goals to pull level in the 88’. However, there was still time left for Jepthe Francois to be the hero with his winning goal in the 89’.
4.- Montserrat 1-2 El Salvador, Match-Day 1
El Salvador got a good taste of Montserrat’s international improvement when it was staring at a 1-0 deficit after just 38 minutes, but veteran Oscar Ceren put the Cuscatlecos on his back and pulled El Salvador level in the 62’. The Alianza man would then strike again with a last-second winner in the fourth-minute stoppage time to claim a big three points for an El Salvador side hoping to reach its 11th Concacaf Gold Cup.
5.- Saint Kitts and Nevis 1-0 Puerto Rico, Match-Day 1
After a string a positive results in international friendlies, Saint Kitts and Nevis was eager to prove itself in CNLQ, but for the large majority of its week one contest against Puerto Rico, it could not find a way past GK Cody Laurendi. The Boricua stopper made a number of logic-defying saves until Harrison Panayiotou finally found a way through in the first minute of second half stoppage time for the win.
