Guatemala are looking to end their Gold Cup campaign on a winning note when they battle Trinidad and Tobago in their final group match on Sunday from Toyota Stadium in Dallas.
La Bicolor have lost both of their matches so far, while the Soca Warriors still have a slim chance to make the quarter-finals even though they lost their last game 2-0 to El Salvador.
Match preview
With only pride to play for in their final group game at the Gold Cup, Guatemala will hope that they can salvage something out of a competition in which they were not supposed to be a part of after being eliminated in their qualifier by Guadeloupe.
In their second match of this tournament, interim manager Rafael Loredo saw his side completely overwhelmed by a far superior Mexican team, who had 71% possession and outshot the Guatemalans 17-4.
The defeat officially knocked Los Chapines out of this tournament, precisely two weeks after they were originally eliminated, but there will be no reprieve this time.
This team are winless in their last five Gold Cup matches, but a win in their final group stage match this weekend would mark their highest points total at this tournament since earning four points in 2011, when they qualified for the quarter-finals.
In their two group games, the Guatemalans have yet to show that they can compete with the top teams in this region, earning only 31% and 29% possession in two consecutive games, while their passing accuracy was 74% against Mexico, which is slightly better than in their opener when it was clicking at 65%.
Trinidad and Tobago have not been much better than their opponents, but they still have something to play for on Sunday, despite being dominated in back-to-back matches.
With one point from two matches, they will need many things to go their way if they are to sneak into second place in Group A, a spot currently held by the reigning Gold Cup champions, Mexico.
In their match with El Salvador, they started slowly but created a couple of good chances in the second half after going behind 1-0, but in the end, they lacked precision, going scoreless for a second consecutive match.
Their attack needs to wake up this weekend if they want to progress beyond this stage of the competition, as they are three points back of second-place with a goal difference of -2, while the Mexicans are at +3 in that department and will need to lose if TNT are to have any hope progressing.
Manager Angus Eve may have to throw his defensive-minded approach out the window if his team want a shot at making the last eight for the first time since 2015.
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Team News
Guatemala employed a back five in their last match, with Kervin Garcia and Moises Hernandez making their first appearances at this competition.
Striker Darwin Lom started in his first match of the competition, while Luis Martinez came on as a substitute.
Midfielder Jose Morales made his second international appearance for his country, and Robin Betancourth made his first start at the tournament in midfield for the Guatemalans.
Angus Eve went with three at the back versus El Salvador, with Jelani Peters and Aubrey David starting for a second successive match, with full-back Mekeil Williams making his first appearance in the tournament.
Kevin Molino played the full 90 minutes in their second match after coming on as a substitute in their opening game.
Nicklas Frenderup replaced Marvin Phillip in goal on Wednesday, despite the 36-year-old almost single-handedly getting his team a point against the Mexicans.
Guatemala possible starting lineup:
Navarro; Robles, Garcia, Pinto, Gordillo, Hernandez; Alvarez, Aparicio, Ruiz; Arreola, Lopez
Trinidad and Tobago possible starting lineup:
Phillip; J. Williams, Peters, Gonzales, David; Moore, Arcia, Fortune; Joseph, Molino, Telfer
We say: Guatemala 0-1 Trinidad and Tobago
Neither side have been awe-inspiring in this competition, but the Guatemalans have not shown any desire to attack in their two games thus far, and they have struggled to maintain possession for long stretches.
The Soca Warriors will be desperate for a win, and while they have more offensive upside than their opponents, winning by multiple goals seems unlikely given that they are playing a side who have kept eight clean sheets this year.
