Welcome to Guatemala I mean Harrison NJ’s Red Bull Arena for tonight’s match-up. The crowd is large and filling the sold-out Red Bull Arena for tonight’s matchups. That’s right Guatemala is in the house and they’re letting everyone know it tonight. They’re booing everything Guadalupe and sending the roof to Mars every time anything Guatemala happens, players, coaches, flags, and even the plaques for the lineup photos are getting standing ovations unless it’s the other teams then the boos rain down heavily. Red Bull Arena is not Red and Gold it’s Blue and White tonight.
The head coach for Guatemala is given a standing ovation when he appeared out of the tunnel, he waved and thanked all the supporters in the crowd letting them know he hears them and appreciates them all.
The sold-out crowd for match one is so loud you can’t hear yourself think or even the person next to you, Guatemala is loud and proud. Guatemala is ready to go, and the fans are on their feet chanting, then doing the countdown to kick off. Here we go time for the Gold Cup 2023 matchup to begin. Every touch of the ball, every pass sends the crowd into a frenzy here in Harrison, NJ aka Little Guatemala tonight. It’s a home match for Guatemala tonight and Guadalupe will have to find a way to deal with the sold-out crowd.
Both supporter sections behind the goals are filled with all Guatemala fans, the chants are deafening, and communication on the field is impossible for the away side. This is futbol and MLS has a long way to go to reach this atmosphere, nothing in the United States Soccer world equals what is happening tonight in the stands. Even the US home matches are quieter than these matches at Red Bull Arena this Gold Cup.
A near goal for Guatemala and the place is in a frenzy, the keeper for Guadeloupe saves the day at the 3-yard area in the 13′ of the first half.
Big save by Nicholas Hagen in goal for Guatemala in the 18′ he dives toward the second post and puts the ball out for a corner kick, the corner kick is dealt with easily and a counterattack is on Rodrigo Saravia is one v one with Davy Rouyard and Rouyard wins this battle coming out and stopping the attempt from 7 yards out, left of the goal near the first post in the 20′. Saravia knows he needs to and should’ve done better from that spot.
In the 26′ a big save by Hagan at the near post left of the goal, the save resulted in a corner kick. The corner kick is headed in by Andreaw Gravillon to give Guadeloupe a 1 – 0 lead in the 27′. Fans start throwing bottles at the Guadeloupe players near the far corner flag hitting two of them.
The official doesn’t have a warning issued to the fans for their actions. The header was converted when Hagan missed a punch save attempt on the corner kick. The building is now a little quieter but not by much, the fans are trying to get their team back on track knowing they need a positive result win or draw to advance over Canada.
In the 32′ Canada is up 2 – 0 over Cuba, not what either side here at Red Bull Arena wants to hear. In the 36′ Guatemala trails 1 – 0 and if the results hold, they would be eliminated from the group stage. A yellow card is shown to Saravia near midfield in the 37′ of the first half.
Goal Guatemala and the fans are loud and jumping up and down in pandemonium! It’s now 1 – 1 and they will eliminate Canada if they can hold on. The goal was via a header in the 40′ by Rubio Mendez and the building is alive and well now. No one can hear anything verbally; the building is exploding in loud celebrations. Guatemala is on the attack again and Guadeloupe is trying to hang on and survive the first half.
The fourth official indicates a minimum of 2′ will be added to the first half. That’s the end of the first half of play and we’re tied 1 – 1 if the result holds, then Canada will be sent home despite being up 2 – 0 over Cuba right now.
Bad Bunny Dance-A-Thon has ended and now time for the second half of play.
Guatemala makes two changes at halftime bringing on Marlon Sequen for Saravia and Jorge Aparicio for Oscar Castellanos. Guatemala comes out hot to start the second half with a few runs at goal and then their keeper Hagan makes a fairly easy save in the 50′.
A long-distance try on the goal by Nathaniel Mendez in the 51′ from 25 yards, goes well wide of the second post and out for a goal kick.
Very few fans are sitting at the match tonight, the majority are on their feet and doing everything they can to help their side to a victory. Guadeloupe appears to have scored but the center referee says no, the play is being looked at by VAR, the center halts the play, and the decision is a VAR review by the center official in the tunnel. The check is for a possible penalty in the box, the official has his decision and points for a penalty kick in the 60′.
It will be Guadeloupe’s Ange Plumain, he goes with a straight-back approach to the ball, A fan invades the pitch and is taken off at the goal where the penalty is being taken, he approaches no players, they reset everyone, and Plumain converts the penalty going to the first post. Guadeloupe makes it 2 – 1 in the 64′.
Fans are throwing objects at the players and the Guadeloupe bench; the players are unhappy and demand action. The center tells them to get back on the pitch, and the players are arguing with the center over the fan conduct. Guadeloupe’s bench is not happy after getting pelted with beer bottles and cups.
The referee now asks that the announcement be made to warn fans of their language and actions in the 66′. That should be the final warning for the fans tonight, the next event can see the match abandoned.
That would result in Canada advancing and sending their team home from the tournament. Canada is up 4 – 1 in the 64′ of play in their match.
Guatemala makes two more substitutions to try and get this match tied, a loss will send them home.
Video Credit: Concacaf.com
Guatemala head coach Luis Fernando Tena post match after his teams victory over Guadeloupe.#GoldCup2023 #baddawgsports #futbol pic.twitter.com/W8P2QmJcYt
— Bad Dawg Sports (@jj_pavlick) July 5, 2023
Goal Guatemala in the 70′ Rubio Mendez with the brace, the fans start throwing beer in celebration and the game is tied meaning Canada goes home again. The arena is boisterous, and pandemonium is ruling the day currently. The score is tied at 2 – 2 in the 74′ of the second half. Guadeloupe goal scorer is coming off in the 75′ replaced by Quentin Annette.
Goal Guatemala and the building is shaking to its core fans are going insane throwing hats, beer anything they can get their hands on. In the 76′ they take a 3 – 2 lead over Guadeloupe. The goal was scored by Carlos Mejia to send his country into pandemonium and had the officials speaking with the team’s coaches about the fans and celebrations. The last thing the players want is an abandoned match now with them leading.
Video Credit: Concacaf.com
Post match press conference with Guadeloupe head coach Jocelyn Angloma #baddawgsports #GoldCup2023 #futbol pic.twitter.com/KQNRMRW6oD
— Bad Dawg Sports (@jj_pavlick) July 5, 2023
The fans give Rubio Mendez a standing ovation as he is subbed off for Darwin Lom in the 79′ of the second half.
The 4th official is talking with the center official again, the two wrap up the conversation and the center goes and has words with players in the box on the free kick. Big save by Hagan on the long free kick in the 81′. There will be plenty of extra time added given everything that has transpired in the second half.
Guadeloupe with another dangerous free kick in the 83′ 23 yards to the right of the goal. A huge miss by Guadeloupe on the free kick as the attendance is announced to a thunderous crowd of 25,176.
In the 86′ the center referee calls for a penalty kick in favor of Guadeloupe; the play is under review with VAR. call confirmed. In the 88′ the penalty kick taken by Matthias Phaeton is saved by Hagan at the first post, a huge diving save by the Guatemala goalkeeper to preserve the one-goal lead late in the match.
Security is getting in place for a possible pitch invasion by the Guatemalan fans following the match. The fourth official indicates a minimum of 7′ added to the match, the fans are getting louder as the match draws near the end. Ole, Ole is heard throughout the arena.
Guadeloupe loses Steve Solvet in the 90’+8′ after a double yellow/red card. He left the field with some choice words for his head coach on his way to the tunnel and dressing room. The foul occurred 25 yards from the goal and the match ended shortly after he left the field of play.
Canada takes second place in the group and will face the United States in the knockout rounds on Sunday. With the loss, Guadeloupe is also eliminated from the Group stage.
Photo Credit: Concacaf.com
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