Suriname vs Jamaica
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – SEPTEMBER 02: Shamar Nicholson celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during the match between Mexico and Jamaica as part of the Concacaf 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Azteca Stadium on September 02, 2021 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
After both won promotion to the top-tier in 2019, Jamaica and Suriname are looking to make a positive start to life in League A.
Jamaica are attempting to establish themselves as a force in CONCACAF circles, reaching back-to-back Gold Cup Finals in 2015 and 2017.
The Reggae Boyz were then hopeful of qualifying for a first World Cup in 24 years, but ended up sixth in the Octagonal round earlier this year.
Now under Paul Hall, and with more dual-nationals on board, can Jamaica compete at the top level of the Nations League pyramid?
Suriname, similarly, are aiming to raise the standards of their team by recruiting Dutch players of Surinamese heritage.
This helped them top their League B group three years ago, accumulating 13 points against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Nicaragua and Dominica.
As a result, last summer, they ending their 36-year wait for a Gold Cup appearance, losing their first two games before beating Guadeloupe.
In this Nations League group, Mexico complete the trio, meaning these two will be fighting it out to avoid relegation.
Will either claim three important points at Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion?
El Salvador vs Grenada
El Salvadors players pose before their Central American qualification football match against Saint Kitts and Nevis for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador on June 15, 2021. (Photo by Marvin Recinos / AFP) (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)
With holders the United States the other team in this group, this game at San Salvador will be key in the battle against relegation.
Grenada were promoted to League A in 2019, amassing 14 points from games against French Guinea, Belize and St. Kitts & Nevis.
More recently though, the Spice Boys have lost their last five competitive matches, including all three at last summer’s Gold Cup.
So, El Salvador come into this one as favourites, despite the fact they too are newly-promoted to this level.
La Selecta cruised to first place in their first-ever Nations League group, beating Montserrat, Dominican Republic and Saint Lucia.
However, unlike their opponents, El Salvador have appeared at each of the last eight Gold Cups and reached the final round of World Cup qualifying.
In the latter, Hugo Pérez’s team only accumulated ten points from 14 games, but just playing lots of games together will stand them in good stead.
These two nations will actually meet again in St. George’s on Tuesday and, with games against the U.S. to come, defeats could be fatal.
El Salvador are likely to be be too strong at Estadio Cuscatlán.
Bermuda vs Haiti
DENVER, CO – JUNE 06: The Trophy of Championship is displayed during the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final between United States and Mexico at Empower Field At Mile High on June 6, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
After both were relegated from the top-tier in 2019, will either Haiti or Bermuda bounce straight back?
In 2019, Bermuda made their maiden Gold Cup appearance, defeating Nicaragua in New Jersey having lost their other two fixtures.
Then, in the Nations League, the Gombey Warriors finished bottom of their League A group, amassing just three points against Mexico and Panama.
Haiti meanwhile were the surprise package at that 2019 Gold Cup, beating Bermuda and then Canada en route to the semi-finals.
Once there, it took a 93rd minute penalty to end les Grenadiers’ amazing adventure, going out 1-0 against Mexico in Glendale.
However, later that year, Haiti were also relegated from Nations League A, failing to win any of their games against Costa Rica or Curaçao.
Nevertheless, these two are now the heavyweights down at this level, making this clash in Devonshire Parish a key one.
Montserrat vs Guyana
Meanwhile, the two outsiders in League B Group B go head-to-head at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo.
Guyana made their Gold Cup debut in 2019, before narrowly missing out on last year’s edition, losing to Guatemala in a play-off.
The Golden Jaguars were impressive during the first edition of the Nations League, amassing ten points and finishing second in their group.
So, can Jamaal Shabazz’s team build on that this year?
Montserrat meanwhile also finished second in their League B group in 2019, symmetrically winning twice, drawing twice and losing twice.
The Emerald Boys then enjoyed a solid World Cup qualification campaign, amassing eight points from four matches, only narrowly suffering elimination.
Having said all of that, with Bermuda and Haiti the other teams in this section, these two could be the ones fighting against relegation.
So, the two fixtures between the pair will be crucial.
