2023-24 Concacaf Nations League resumes with crucial window

MIAMI, Florida – The 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League resumes this week in what will be a crucial window for all the teams in Leagues A, B and C.

For the teams in League A, this is the moment to make a move in the standings to try to secure a top-two finish and a place in the quarterfinals.

There is no shortage of motivation to try to reach the quarterfinal stage, as a berth in the 2024 Copa America will be the reward for the quarterfinal winners.

2023/24 Concacaf Nations League Referee Appointments: October Matches

LEAGUE A

All 12 teams in League A remain in the hunt, with important matches across the board for the six teams each in Group A and Group B.

Among the highlighted matches in this October window in Group A is a Friday match-up between Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The Caribbean nation was the only side from League A to have won both matches during the September window and they can secure a spot in the quarterfinals with a full three points against Guatemala and if Martinique either draw or lose to El Salvador.

Trinidad and Tobago would also advance to the quarterfinals with a draw against Guatemala and a Panama loss versus Curacao and Martinique losing to El Salvador, or by defeating Guatemala and Panama dropping points against Curacao.

Four days later on Tuesday night, Guatemala square off with second-place Panama in Panama City in what should be another match that goes a long way to determining who might finish in the top two.

Group B of League A is as tight as it gets, with all six teams separated by just three points and no quarterfinal berths to be clinched until the final matchday.

One of the marquee match-ups pits second-place Cuba (4 points) against third-place Honduras (3 points) in the Dominican Republic on Thursday night.

Sunday night will see a rematch in Trinidad and Tobago between Jamaica and Haiti after their thrilling 2-2 draw in Kingston during the September window. Jamaica enter the window in first place in the group with four points, while Haiti are lurking in fourth place with two points.

At an individual level, the race to be the top scorer in League A is wide open, with Louicius Don Deedson of Haiti and Edwin Rodriguez of Honduras leading the way with two goals each. A prolific window from any player would likely be enough to catapult to the top of the League A scoring chart.

LEAGUE B

The 16 teams in League B will also be back for another two matches each, as the goal of promotion to League A starts to take shape.

Fans of Saint Lucia and Guadeloupe will need to buckle up, as these two teams, each with six points in Group A, face off on Thursday in Saint Lucia and then again on Sunday in Guadeloupe.

It is a similar story in Group D in which Puerto Rico and Guyana head up the group with six points each and will play each other twice, with both matches taking place in Saint Kitts and Nevis on Saturday and Tuesday.

Those two teams also boast the top two goal scorers in League B, with Guyana’s Omari Glasgow having four goals to his name, the same number scored by Puerto Rico’s Gerald Diaz.

Back-to-back games between Nicaragua and Montserrat should help bring some clarity to Group B. Nicaragua, who top the group with six points, can put themselves into a great position to win the group with a pair of wins, while Montserrat in third-place on three points can make things very interesting going into the November window with some good results.

It is all there for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to take full control of Group C, as the group leaders with six points have a pair of contests with fourth-place French Guiana, who has one point.

LEAGUE C

There is another intriguing slate of games among the nine teams in League C, with one of the more notable contests on Thursday in Saint Lucia in Group C between Dominica and British Virgin Islands. Each team won their lone match in the September window, so first place will be on the line in this one.

Aruba head up Group B with three points, but on the hunt is US Virgin Islands with one point. These two sides will get together on Saturday in Aruba. A win for the hosts would go a long way to their promotion mission, while USVI could catapult into first place with a victory.

Saint Martin currently lead the way in Group A with six points, making Thursday’s meeting between Bonaire and Anguilla, both with zero points, an enormous affair with the winner keeping their hopes alive of catching Saint Martin in the standings.

Saint Martin FW Axel Raga, who leads the entire 2023-24 CNL ins coring with five goals, will no doubt look to add to his total against Anguilla on Monday.