FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (CMC):
United States-based Omari Glasgow scored in regular time and buried a crucial penalty in a dramatic shoot-out as Guyana surged into the next round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminaries with a win over Grenada.
The 19-year-old put Guyana ahead in the 22nd minute at the DRV PNK Stadium here Saturday before England-based Kairo Mitchell levelled on the hour mark, the game remaining deadlocked until penalties settled the encounter.
Mitchell, Elliott Bonds, and Stephen Duke-McKenna – all of whom ply their trade in England – scored the first three penalties for Guyana while another England-based trio, including Mitchell, all answered for Grenada.
However, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong, who also campaigns in the English leagues, missed for Grenada to send Guyana through, with local players Kelsey Benjamin and Daniel Wilson performing the final rites for Guyana.
There was drama in the 19th minute when Guyana were awarded a penalty after Mackell Gannes was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, but Neil Danns’ spot kick was saved.
Danns was involved in the goal minutes later, however, spraying a pass out wide from just beyond the centre circle to give Glasgow the chance to smash a 22-yard drive past goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook.
Up 1-0 at the break, Guyana missed the chance to extend their lead in the second minute following the resumption when Liam Gordon struck the upright with a rasping drive.
Deon Moore then thought he had doubled their lead when he raced on to a through ball and put the ball in the back of the nets only for VAR to rule him off-side.
They were made to pay for those missed chances moments later when Berkeley-Agyepong held off Bonds and Samuel Cox down the left and crossed into the penalty area where Mitchell tapped in from point-blank range.
In the decisive second round of the preliminaries tomorrow Guyana will take on Guadeloupe.
In Saturday’s other fixtures, French Guiana brushed aside Sint Martin 4-1 to set up a clash with St Kitts and Nevis while Suriname lost to Puerto Rico on penalties, after the game finished 0-0 in regular time.
Puerto Rico will face French Caribbean side Martinique tomorrow.