Puerto Rico, El Salvador secure big WWCQ wins

MIAMI, Florida:

PUERTO RICO, El Salvador and St Kitts and Nevis were among some of the big winners on Friday, as 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship Qualifying continued.

Puerto Rico managed to keep their record perfect in Group A with their third win in three games, but it was far from easy in a 2-0 result against Suriname at the Estadio Centroamericano in Mayaguez.

Nickolette Driesse got the hosts off to a good start with a right-footed shot from outside the area that rippled the net for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. Puerto Rico then tacked on the crucial insurance goal in the 66th, with Jillienne Aguilera steering in a left-footed shot off a wayward Suriname header to complete the 2-0 scoreline.

Saint Kitts and Nevis handed Guatemala their first defeat in Group B with a 2-1 win for the Caribbean side at the Estadio Pensativo in Antigua, Guatemala.

St Kitts and Nevis were first to score, as Iyanla Bailey-Williams converted from the penalty spot after a foul in the Guatemalan area for a 1-0 lead to the visitors.

Kyra Dickinson was superb in goal for St Kitts and Nevis, making a number of saves to keep her side ahead until the 49th minute when Celsa Cruz finally tallied the 1-1 equaliser, slotting home a left-footed shot.

Things stood on a knife-edge in the final half-hour, but in the end the spoils would belong to St Kitts and Nevis, as Jahzara Claxton’s powerful header in the 71st handed the 2-1 win to the guests.

The action was just as intense in Group C, as the Dominican Republic narrowly defeated Bermuda in a hard-fought 1-0 final at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.

FREE KICK ON TARGET

After having a trio of looks at goal earlier in the contest, Vanessa Kara made sure her fourth rip at goal hit the back of the net, as she fired in a free kick in the 87th to win it for the home side.

El Salvador used a very strong first 16 minutes to power their way to a 2-0 win versus Barbados in Group D at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.

It was a dream start for the hosts, as Yoselyn Lopez tucked away a right-footed shot just 19 seconds into the match for a 1-0 El Salvador advantage. El Salvador kept piling on the pressure and they were rewarded in the 16th minute when a header from Barbados defender Alyssa Yard ended up in her own net to double the El Salvador lead to 2-0.

Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith came within a whisker of pulling a goal back for Barbados with a shot off the post in the 77th, but in the end, El Salvador nailed down the clean sheet win and the three points.

Cuba’s high-flying attack was kept under wraps in a 0-0 draw with Honduras in Group E action at the Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.

Entering the match, the Cubans had scored 17 goals, but they could not find a way past Honduras goalkeeper Sherrie Arzu.

Meanwhile, Honduras also had a few looks at goal, including Linda Moncada hitting the post early in the second half, but Cuba goalkeeper Alianne Matamoro made all the necessary saves.

There was also a stalemate in Group F, as Guyana and Nicaragua played to a 0-0 draw at the National Track and Field Facility in Leonora, Guyana.

It was a day in which both goalkeepers stood tall, as Guyana’s Chante Sandiford and Nicaragua’s Bethania Aburto made the saves to secure a point for their respective sides.

– Courtesy of concacaf.com