Photo: Belize Jaguars starting 11 on Tuesday against Turks & Caicos Islands (Front Row, l to r) Krisean Lopez, Rene Leslie, Raymond Ramos, Nahjib Guerra, Jordy Polanco. (Back Row, l to r) Harlan Casanova, Brandon Jones, Naim Wilson, Darrel Myvett, Orlando Velasquez, goalkeeper Charles Tillett)
by William Ysaguirre
BELMOPAN, Tues. Oct. 15, 2024
The Belize Jaguars senior men’s national team have been promoted to the CONCACAF Nations League B, after leading their League C group with 4 wins and 9 goals. They enjoyed their 4th win, 3-0, over Turks & Caicos Islands at the Football Federation of Belize Stadium in Belmopan on a rainy Tuesday night, October 15. They now advance to a play-in home and away series with French Guiana, whom they will host at the FFB Stadium on November 14, with the return match on November 18. The Jaguars’ technical director, Charles Slusher has stated that their goal is to qualify to the CONCACAF Gold Cup USA 2025.
The visitors’ defenders rejected an attempted header by Darrel Myvett, but Jordi Polanco (28’) recovered the loose ball at the edge of the 18-yard box and booted it into the net: 1-0. Similarly, after an early insert to replace Raymond Ramos in midfield, Moises Hernandez’s (40’) right-away shot on the rebound, after the visitors rejected Nahjib Guerra’s cross into the goal area, escaped goalkeeper Peterson Saint Fleurant who got a glove on it, only to deflect it into the net: 2-0. Down at the other end, Billy Forbes and Emmanuel Martin were trying to get Turks & Caicos on the scoreboard, but were frustrated by Belize defenders Harlan Casanova, Brandon Jones, Naim “Nemo” Wilson and Raymond Ramos. Goalkeeper Charles Tillett got hardly any touches on the ball.
After the break, Fleurant came off his line when Krisean Lopez escaped the defenders on a solo, fast-break attack up the center; but Fleurant fumbled the save, and Lopez (57’) booted the loose ball into the net: 3-0. The visitors protested that a foul ought to have been called on Lopez, but central referee Victor Rivas (USA) ruled that the goal was fair.
Lopez and Rene Leslie led the Jaguars’ offensive, supported by Orlando “Bredda” Velasquez and Nahjib Guerra on the wings, and Polanco and Myvett at midfield. Dominating possession 70 percent, they had the visitors’ defense pressed back into their goal area, with Kyle Belizaire, Kristen Howell and Keneil Clervil struggling to help Fleurant keep the attacks at bay.
Only 15 minutes had elapsed when coach Charlie Slusher made his first change, introducing Hernandez to replace Ramos. For Turks & Caicos, Sebastian Turbyfield replaced Fleurant who had been banged up by his encounter with Lopez, and Joshua Busuttil and Idelin Gardiner also came off the visitors’ bench. Coach Slusher refreshed his offensive line with Michael Palacio, Gabriel Ramos, Jr., and Andir Chi relieving Leslie, Velasquez and Lopez, to keep on the pressure to the final whistle. Some 293 fans had braved the rain to see their triumph.