Needing a victory to avoid relegation, French Guiana will conclude their CONCACAF Nations League group phase by facing Nicaragua on Monday at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium.
Both sides were beaten on matchday three of this competition, with the Nicaraguans suffering a 2-0 defeat versus Jamaica, while Les Yana Dokos lost 3-2 against Honduras.
Match preview
© Imago
Despite having the bulk of the possession (55%) and firing six efforts on target, it was not to be for Nicaragua on matchday three as they saw a 14-game Nations League unbeaten run end.
It was the first time they had suffered a home defeat in this competition since November 2019, when they were beaten by Suriname 2-1.
To advance into the knockout portion of this tournament, the Nicaraguans must win and hope the Hondurans lose their final encounter of the group phase.
Marco Antonio Figueroa's men are winless in two successive matches and are on the verge of losing consecutive encounters for the first time since March.
They boast a 100% record all-time at this tournament when leading at the half, though they have not scored a goal in the opening 45 minutes of a League A fixture.
When these sides met for the first time earlier in this competition, Widman Talavera scored in the dying stages of the match to propel Nicaragua to a 1-0 triumph.
© Imago
A strong second-half surge proved to be too little too late for French Guiana, who are on the brink of falling back down into League B.
Three of the four Nations League goals conceded by Jean-Claude Darcheville's men this season have come in the final 45 minutes, while they have only scored once in the opening half of the tournament this year.
When scoring in the opening half of a Nations League fixture, French Guiana have never lost, winning all three of their League B contests last season when doing so.
French Guiana are winless in their last two away fixtures at this tournament, failing to find the back of the net in both encounters.
There is still an outside chance they can make the Nations League quarter-finals, but they need a win, combined with a draw between Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago and a three-goal swing to fall their way.
That or a victory on Monday is what they need to avoid being relegated to League B, while that would officially give them a place in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminary stage.
Team News
© Imago
From matchday two to three, Nicaragua added four newcomers to their starting 11, with Jason Vega replacing Miguel Rodriguez between the sticks, while Oscar Acevedo, Junior Arteaga, and Byron Bonilla came in for Christian Reyes, Nextaly Rodriguez and Abner Acuna.
Bonilla can equal Matias Moldskred and Ariagner Smith for sixth in all-time goals should he find the back of the net on Monday, while record cap holder Josue Quijano, whose own goal wound up as the winner for Jamaica this week, needs two more appearances to reach 100.
Five players, Mickael Colino, Gregory Lescot, Ludovic Baal, Loic Baal, and Yohan Marmot, maintained their place in the starting 11 for French Guiana from matchdays two to three.
Goals from Raphael Galas and Jules Haabo proved to be in vain on matchday three, with the former netting his first for the national team in his first international appearance.
Nicaragua possible starting lineup:
M. Rodriguez; Quijano, Fletes, J. Rodriguez, Acevedo; Barrera, Belli, Medina, Arteaga, Nino; Moreno
French Guiana possible starting lineup:
Leon; Colino, Letard, Lescot, Menard; Nemouthe, Lu. Baal, Vancaeyezeele, Lo. Baal, Galas; Haabo
We say: Nicaragua 2-0 French Guiana
While French Guiana have managed to keep their matches close, they do not possess as much attacking depth as the Nicaraguans, which is why we project another defeat for the Caribbean side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
