MIAMI, Florida – The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup continues with its second matchday, as Group B kicks off with a doubleheader featuring Haiti and Qatar followed by eight-time champions Mexico against Honduras at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, while Trinidad and Tobago will meet Saint Kitts and Nevis in Fort Lauderdale in Group A.
Haiti and Qatar will meet for the first time ever in the Gold Cup. Mexico and Honduras will have their eight meeting in the tournament, and 43rd encounter overall, as the next chapter awaits in a longstanding rivalry.
Haiti vs. Qatar
Haiti and Qatar have only met once before, a 1-0 victory for the Caribbean squad in an international friendly, on November 18, 2010, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Rayyan, Qatar. Both nations are looking to match their best Gold Cup performances of reaching the semifinal.
Haiti has come closest to winning the tournament in 2019, as extra time was needed for eventual champions Mexico to move on and will repeat 11 players from that squad for this edition.
Duckens Nazon leads the nation with seven goals in Gold Cup play and is one of the many options up front for Haiti, alongside Carnejy Antoine, who was the country’s leading scorer with five in the recent 2022–23 Concacaf Nations League.
Qatar are back for their second appearance after debuting in 2021 when they were one win away from the final before falling to eventual champions USA. Almoez Ali headlines the squad as he looks to increase his tally of four goals in the competition.
Match Officials Haiti vs Qatar
Referee: DANEON PARCHMENT (Jamaica)
1st Assistant Referee: CALEB WALES (Trinidad and Tobago)
2nd Assistant Referee: OJAY DUHANEY (Jamaica)
4th Official: REON RADIX (Grenada)
VAR: RICARDO MONTERO (Costa Rica)
AVAR1: BENJAMIN PINEDA (Costa Rica)
Mexico vs. Honduras
For the fifth time in the Gold Cup, Mexico and Honduras are group foes in the tournament. The two also meet for the second time in this competition in Houston, where they played in the 2011 semifinals as Mexico went on to win its sixth title.
Now eight-time champions, Mexico aspires to win the Gold Cup again with newly named head coach Jaime Lozano taking the reins. El Tricolor will field nearly the same squad it did for the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Final, substituting Roberto Alvarado for the injured Alexis Vega.
Honduras has championship aspirations of its own, hoping to recreate the run to the final in the inaugural 1991 edition, under current coach Diego Vasquez. Veteran Jerry Bengtson, who played in the 2011 edition, will look to help this next generation to glory that features one of the most threatening attacking players in Alberth Elis.
Mexico leads the all-time series with four wins, twice tying and once losing to Honduras. Mexico and Honduras are one of the most frequently played matches in the history of the Gold Cup, only behind Panama vs. USA (11) and Canada vs. Costa Rica (9).
Game Notes Mexico vs Honduras
Match Officials Mexico vs Honduras
Referee: MARIO ESCOBAR (Guatemala)
1st Assistant Referee: LUIS VENTURA (Guatemala)
2nd Assistant Referee: HUMBERTO PANJOJ (Guatemala)
4th Official: BRYAN LOPEZ (Guatemala)
VAR: TIM FORD (USA)
AVAR1: ALLEN CHAPMAN (USA)
Fact: The last time Honduras and Mexico faced each other in the Gold Cup was in the quarterfinals at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, on July 24, 2021, with a 3-0 victory for the Mexican team. Goals were scored by Rogelio Funes Mori, Jonathan dos Santos, and Orbelín Pineda.
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis
History will be made on Sunday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where Saint Kitts and Nevis will play in their first ever Concacaf Gold Cup group stage match, as they take on Trinidad and Tobago in Group A.
For the Sugar Boyz, it has already been a dream run in this 2023 Gold Cup, as they qualified for the Prelims as a League C group winner from the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.
No doubt that Saint Kitts and Nevis are making the most of their Gold Cup debut. They first eliminated CNL League A side Curacao in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw, and then eliminated CNL League B side French Guiana in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw to punch their group stage ticket.
One of the heroes has been GK Julani Archibald, who saved two penalties in the shootout with Curacao and another stop in the shootout with French Guiana. All told, Archibald made five saves in the Prelims.
Up top it was been the dynamic duo of Tiquanny Williams and Tyquan Terrell who have been wreaking havoc. Williams has a goal and an assist, while Terrell this far.
The Gold Cup group stage is familiar territory for Trinidad and Tobago in what is their 12th appearance in the tournament.
There is no shortage of experience, beginning with Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones. Molino has played in 10 Gold Cup matches across three different editions and has four career goals. Meanwhile, Jones also has 10 Gold Cup games under his belt in three different editions and was his country’s top scorer in the 2022-23 CNL (3 goals).
The Soca Warriors have enjoyed a decisive advantage in the overall series with 12 wins and just one loss in 13 matches, while outscoring Saint Kitts and Nevis 36-11, but in the First Round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022, Saint Kitts and Nevis finished ahead of Trinidad and Tobago, reflecting the rise of the Sugar Boyz in the region.
Match Officials Trinidad and Tobago vs Saint Kitts and Nevis
Referee: SAID MARTINEZ (Honduras)
1st Assistant Referee: WALTER LOPEZ (Honduras)
2nd Assistant Referee: CHRISTIAN RAMIREZ (Honduras)
4th Official: KEYLOR HERRERA (Costa Rica)
VAR: MELISSA BORJAS PASTRANA (Honduras)
AVAR1: ISMAEL CORNEJO (El Salvador)
