Guyana aims to peak in Gold Cup Prelims

CONCACAF – NATIONS LEAGUE B – JAMAICA – GUYANA
Team Guyana pose prior to the Concacaf Nations League B tournament match between Jamaica and Guyana at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Nov. 18, 2019.
CONCACAF/Ricardo Makyn, File

After finishing the First Round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying (WCQ) for Qatar 2022, with one victory, Guyana will be out to turn things around, beginning with their date on Saturday, July 3 versus Guatemala in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Prelims.

According to CONCACAF, the Golden Jaguars reached the Prelims by virtue of a second-place finish in their group in League B of the 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League (CNL).

The three top scorers from that CNL campaign, Trayon Bobb, Emery Welshman and Sheldon Holder, have all been included in Head Coach Marcio Maximo’s final 23-man roster, CONCACAF said.

It said Bobb had four goals during the six CNL matches, while Welshman and Holder “each chipped in” with a pair of goals.

“Guyana are already well versed in the nuances of Gold Cup competition, having qualified for the 2019 edition and earning their first-ever Gold Cup point in a 1-1 group stage draw with Trinidad and Tobago,” CONCACAF said.

“There is also a good presence of players with experience in some of the highest levels of English football, including Bolton Wanderers DFs (defenders) Liam Gordon and Reiss Greenidge, along with Queens Park Rangers MF (mid-fielder) Stephen Duke-McKenna and Bournemouth pair MF Nathan Moriah-Welsh and FW (forward) Connor Kurran-Browne,” it added.

CONCACAF said one player that could become one of the revelations of the Prelims round is 17-year-old FW Omari Glasgow of Fruta Conquerors FC.

Glasgow already has three international caps and scored in Guyana’s 4-0 WCQ win over Bahamas.

“It remains to be seen who Maximo will opt for in goal, but veteran Akel Clarke could well get the nod after being the No.1 for the Golden Jaguars in two Gold Cup matches in 2019 and was the co-leader in saves (8) during the CNL,” CONCACAF said.