_{Photo: Belize Jaguars have already clinched 1st place in Group-B of League-C}

by William Ysaguirre

BELMOPAN, Wed. Oct. 9, 2024

The Belize Jaguars senior men’s national football team enjoyed their 3rd victory in the CONCACAF Nations League, 1-0, over Anguilla at the Football Federation of Belize Stadium in Belmopan on Wednesday night, October 9.

Port Layola stars Rene Leslie and Orlando “Bredda” Velasquez led the Jaguars’ offensive, supported by Nahjib Guerra and Krisean Lopez on the wings, and by Jordi Polanco and Naim “Nemo” Wilson at midfield. They dominated possession in the visitor’s half of the field, but Anguilla’s Jelanie Lawrence flew like a jack-in-the-box with save after save, feeding the ball back to sweeper Alexander Fleming. Defenders Nicolas Loblack, Nathaniel Owen and Delanie Francis had their work cut out to avert a goal up to intermission.

Down at the other end, Anthonio Fleming and Timarqus Connor let the islanders’ attack supported by midfielders Kian Duncan and Kayne Connor, but they got short shrift from Belize defenders Brandon Jones, Jaylen Lennan, Darrel Myvett and Moises Hernandez, who helped goalkeeper Charles Tillett keep a clean slate.

Krisean Lopez set table for Velasquez’s left foot shot into the net (56’) for the winning goal. Anguilla’s coach Keith Jeffry introduced Nicholson Millington to replace a bruised Fleming, and Jayvon Lloyd, Jaheim Thompson, Germain Hughes and Aedan Scipio joined the fray, relieving a weary Duncan and Connor.

Jaguars’ technical director Charles Slusher began emptying his bench to refresh his attack line, as Harlan Casanova, Andir Chi, Jardehl Muschamp, Michael Palacio and Gabriel Ramos, Jr replaced Lennan, Hernandez, Lopez, Velasquez and Leslie. They kept on the pressure, but Lawrence conceded no more goals, even into 3 minutes of stoppage time.

The Jaguars host Turks & Caicos Islands, whom they defeated, 4-0, in the first leg, for the return match on Tuesday, October 15, having already clinched 1st place in their Group B of League C. (See standings below.)

Before tonight’s match, Coach Slusher said the immediate objective is to win the group and eventually the C League, to advance to the B League in the Nation’s Cup, with the ultimate goal to qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup USA next summer.