MIAMI, Florida – League A of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League begins on Thursday with all the teams in Group A in action, including 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup runners-up Panama.
Panama vs. Martinica
The Canaleros start this new edition of the CNL at home at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, Panama against Martinique.
These two sides met in the last edition of the CNL in 2022-23, with Panama taking a 5-0 win at home before playing to a 0-0 draw in Martinique. They also squared off this past summer in the Gold Cup in which Panama ran out 2-1 winners in the group stage, so needless to say, these are two teams quite familiar with each other.
2023 Gold Cup Best Player Award winner Adalberto Carrasquilla will be back pulling the string in the Panama midfield and will be helped by the likes of FW Ismael Diaz, who had four goals in the Gold Cup.
Martinique narrowly missed out on the Gold Cup knockout round, but a new opportunity awaits in this CNL. Panama will have to be wary of the goal-scoring exploits of Patrick Burner, the 27-year-old was the top-scoring Caribbean player in the Gold Cup with three goals.
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Curacao
A pair of Caribbean sides will start the day off at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as home side Trinidad and Tobago welcomes in Curacao.
This will mark their first ever CNL meeting, but there is a long history already between the two nations, with Trinidad and Tobago holding a 6W-4D-2L edge.
Trinidad and Tobago were unable to advance from the group stage of the Gold Cup, while Curacao fell short of reaching the group stage, getting knocked out in the First Round of the Prelims. This opening match is a great opportunity to put this past summer’s disappointment behind them.
Joevin Jones is the Soca Warriors’ all-time leading scorer in the CNL with three goals and will certainly be one to watch in this affair, as will dangerous fullback Alvin Jones, who scored in the Gold Cup.
Familiar faces like Leandro Bacuna, Juninho Bacuna and Jurien Gaari will be called upon to spark Curacao to what would be a key three points to open their third straight League A campaign.
Guatemala vs. El Salvador
Rounding out the day will be a mouth-watering all-Central American contest between Guatemala and El Salvador at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Guatemala were one of the revelations of the Gold Cup, winning their group for the first time ever thanks to two victories and reaching the quarterfinals before a narrow loss to Jamaica.
Rubio Rubin was one of the leaders in attack with two goals, but the man who had everyone talking was winger Nathaniel Mendez, a player who plies his trade in England’s second division.
El Salvador were left frustrated by their Gold Cup, with two draws and a defeat as they missed out on the knockout stage. However, they showed great character in holding Costa Rica to a goalless draw and got goals from Brayan Gil and Mayer Gil against runners-up Panama, so if those type of performances can carry into this CNL, El Salvador will be poised for a positive result in Guatemala City.
