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MIAMI, USA – The road to the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship continued with a bang on Tuesday as the opening matches in Groups D, E, and F delivered a flurry of goals, statement victories, and dramatic draws.
While the results were mixed across the board, three nations, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Martinique, and Aruba, seized the spotlight with impressive performances to take early control of their respective groups.
At the Stadion Rignaal ‘Jean’ Francisca in Willemstad, Curaçao, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines delivered a dominant attacking display, crushing Anguilla 6-0 to immediately stamp their authority on Group D.
The rout began with a stroke of misfortune for Anguilla, who put the ball through their own net to hand the “Vincy Heat” the lead.
From there, it was all Saint Vincent. Shaquan Hooper doubled the advantage in the 19th minute with a superb volley from a corner kick.
The floodgates truly opened just before and after the halftime break, as Tyrique Clarke netted a quick-fire brace, scoring in the 45th and 47th minutes to put the game well out of reach.
Zheon Cunningham added a fifth from close range in the 67th minute, before Tyler Lewis capped off the comprehensive victory with a strike in the 84th.
In the other Group D clash, hosts Curaçao survived a late scare to edge out Guyana 3-2. Guyana drew first blood through Bryan Wharton in the 8th minute, but Curaçao responded swiftly.
Damiënthly Bernardina converted a penalty in the 20th minute, and Dayvi Busby curled in a beauty from inside the box to make it 2-1 before the break.
Bernardina secured his brace with a tap-in midway through the second half, a goal that proved crucial after Reiss Parris headed in from a set piece for Guyana in the 90th minute to set up a tense finish.
Action in Group E, held at the Costa Rican Football Federation grounds in Alajuela, was filled with excitement but yielded no outright winners, as both matches ended in hard-fought draws.
Barbados and Sint Maarten played out a 1-1 stalemate. Tim Van Ottele put Sint Maarten ahead from close range in the 20th minute, but the lead lasted only six minutes.
Barbados’ Xavier Bayne produced a moment of magic, unleashing a stunning long-range strike to level the scores and ensure the points were shared.
The drama was even more intense in the other Group E fixture, where Trinidad and Tobago came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw with Bermuda.
Bermuda looked to be in control after Jace Donawa capped a magnificent solo run with a cool finish in the 38th minute. The lead held until the final ten minutes when the game exploded into life.
Trinidad and Tobago turned the game on its head with two quick goals, an unfortunate own goal from Bermuda in the 79th minute, followed by a strike from Dominic Joseph.
Just as it seemed the Soca Warriors had stolen the win, Bermuda’s James Morrison rose highest to power home a towering header from a corner in the 84th minute, restoring parity and ensuring the points were split.
At the Estadio Miguel Chocorrón Buitrago in Managua, Group F belonged to the visitors, as both Martinique and Aruba recorded emphatic victories on the opening day.
Martinique kicked off their campaign in scintillating fashion, demolishing the U.S. Virgin Islands 7-1. Meanwhile, in the biggest shock of the night, Aruba stunned tournament hosts Nicaragua with a composed 2-0 victory.
CMC
English (US) ·