MIAMI, Florida – League B-bound Aruba and Dominica wrapped up their respective campaigns in Group B and Group C of League C of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League in style with victories on Monday.
Dominica vs. Turks and Caicos Islands
Group C winners Dominica closed out group stage play against Turks and Caicos Islands with a 2-0 victory at the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground in Road Town, British Virgin Islands.
Audel Laville opened the scoring in the 15’ when a free kick was taken by Savio Anselm that hit the crossbar, pinballed around the Turks and Caicos Islands area and was finally stabbed home by Laville for a 1-0 Dominica lead.
Dominica then added an insurance goal in the 61’ through Javid George, who received a pass off his chest and placed a left-footed shot into the top left corner of net to cement the three points.
Dominica finishes the group in first place with 10 points and will play next season in League B.
Aruba vs. Cayman Islands
Winners of Group B, Aruba ended their 2023-24 CNL campaign with a 5-1 victory against Cayman Islands at the Trinidad Stadium in Oranjestad, Aruba.
Terence Groothusen got things going for the home side in the 16’ with the opening goal for a 1-0 lead on a composed right-footed finish.
Rovien Ostiana doubled the lead to 2-0 right before halftime in the 45+5’ with an excellent right-footed strike.
Cayman Islands did pull one back to make it 2-1 in the 49’, as Gunnar Studenhofft polished off a counterattack by rounding the goalkeeper and scoring.
But the day belonged to Aruba and it became 3-1 in the 55’ through Benjamin Maria, who split a pair of defenders and then squeezed in a shot.
Jaydon Dania increased the advantage to 4-1 in the 77’ by slotting home a right-footed shot. Groothusen then capped the 5-1 scoreline in the 88’ with a powerful right-footed shot from outside the area to give him a brace.