MIAMI, Florida – Saint Lucia will hope to stay in the race for the top spot in Group B of League C of the Road to W Gold Cup when they face Guadeloupe on Friday at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia.
Saint Lucia sit on three points after two matches and can pull within three points of group leaders Cuba with a victory on Friday. Guadeloupe are third in the group and still searching for their first result of the campaign.
These two sides last met in the September in Guadeloupe where Saint Lucia got a four-goal performance from Arnicka Louis on their way to a 5-1 away victory.
A Saint Lucia victory would set up a dramatic final matchday affair between Saint Lucia and Cuba in which a Saint Lucia win in Cuba, combined with a superior goal difference, would give Saint Lucia the group title.
Which League C group leaders will remain at the top? pic.twitter.com/mwWMoyHcK3
— W Gold Cup (@GoldCup) November 27, 2023
However, should Friday’s hosts drop points to Guadeloupe, the group will belong to Cuba no matter what with a game to spare.
In addition to Louis, Saint Lucia can rely on players such as Shamalyn Albert and Ellaisa Marquis. Albert has two assists thus far, while Marquis also found the back of the net in the previous meeting with Guadeloupe.
Finding the back of the net against Guadeloupe is no small feat since they boast one of the best goalkeepers in the Caribbean in the form of Anais Hatchi, who has 30 clearances and 21 saves in the RTWGC, including penalty saves in back-to-back matches versus Cuba.
In attack, Guadeloupe will look to Jalna Lepante and Tahina Theophile. Lepante scored the lone Guadeloupe goal in that earlier loss to Saint Lucia, while Theophile registered two shots in that contest.
