BAYAMON, Puerto Rico – Concacaf Nations League C Group D will conclude at the Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel on Sunday when hosts and group winners Puerto Rico take on second-place Cayman Islands.
With another victory, El Huracan Azul could finish the competition with a perfect 4-0-0 record, tying a mark set by Guatemala and Guadeloupe during the previous cycle. It is worth pointing out that both of those teams wound up in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. Puerto Rico would love to do the same in 2023.
For the Cayman Islands, a win or draw secures another second-place finish, equaling their result from the previous cycle.
Puerto Rico Head Coach Charlie Trout may give several new players some run and a chance to prove themselves, but forward Ricardo Rivera is still in mix for the League C scoring title with four goals currently to his name.
Rivera bagged all four of them the last time Puerto Rico played in front of a home crowd, a 6-0 win over British Virgin Islands last June, and will be hungry to put on another show if he winds up on the field on Sunday.
The Cayman Islands may be looking to tinker with their lineup, too. Head Coach Claudio Garcia has named five uncapped players to the squad, including a trio of midfielders (Casey Mclaughlin, Francisco Murillo-Johnson, Jordan Bonilla-Ramirez).
With only five midfielders in the squad, fans can expect to see a few debutants at least and a glimpse of the future for this team.
