Preview: Suriname vs Guatemala - prediction, team news, lineups

Top spot in Group B of the CONCACAF Nations League is up for grabs when Suriname and Guatemala clash on Friday, October 2, at the Franklin Essed Stadion.

The hosts can extend their lead at the top of the tree if they can secure maximum points against a team they have never beaten before.

Match preview

Suriname football has been growing and improving incrementally, after they made it to the World Cup inter-confederation playoffs for the first time in their history.

Unfortunately, the Green Guardians were dumped out at their first hurdle by Bolivia, but the nation is making progress.

The country is a former Dutch colony, which has led to its football administrators gravitating towards recruiting uncapped Dutch-born players, who are eligible to play for Suriname, alongside technical staff from the Netherlands.

Former Feyenoord defender Henk Fraser is the man leading the team from the dugout, after his stints with Utrecht and the Netherlands national team as an assistant in 2021.

The new boss should be pleased with his team's performances, as they recorded back-to-back victories in this competition, first away to Honduras, and then at home to Martinique.

Victory at home in this clash would almost guarantee their spot in the knockout phase of the competition, which will be a first for them in Nations League A.

Guatemala started their CONCACAF Nations League journey in League C, and have gradually worked their way up to the top tier.

The visitors suffered a 1-0 defeat in their first game against Jamaica, but bounced back with a statement 6-0 triumph over El Salvador.

Luis Fernando Tena has been in charge of the Chapines for close to five years, and qualifying for the next round of this competition will be viewed as progress, after narrowly missing out on the quarter-finals in the previous cycle.

To add spice to this fixture, it was the hosts that forced their way into the quarter-finals on that occasion, based purely on goal difference.

Tena's men have a chance to make it up to their fans by winning this away leg in preparation for the reverse fixture next Tuesday.

Suriname CONCACAF form:

Suriname ALL Comps:

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Guatemala CONCACAF form:

Guatemala ALL Comps:

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Team News

Fraser does not have any injury concerns or suspensions for this fixture, and can pick his team from a fully available squad.

Suriname will likely feature the lineup that started against Honduras, with a slight tweak in formation.

Etienne Vaessen should keep the number one jersey, with four defenders in front of him being Liam Van Gelderen, Radinio Balker, Myenty Abena and Shaquille Pinas.

Justin Lonwijk has forced his manager's hand after coming on as a sub to score in their last outing, while he also scored in their first game.

Gyrano Kerk should pair up with him to form a two-pronged attack for the home side.

Tena is likely to keep what is working for him, and the traditional 4-4-2 formation seems to be the best for the travelling outfit.

The Guatemalan's produced a strong display, which is why the manager may stick with the same team.

William Fajardo scored a hat-trick, while both strikers, Rubio Rubin and Darwin Lom, got onto the scoresheet.

Suriname possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Van Gelderen, Balker, Abena, Pinas; Jubitana, Zand, Kenneth, Margaret; Lonwijk, Kerk

Guatemala possible starting lineup:

Hagen; Herrera, Pinto, Samayoa, Morales; Santis, Rosales, Aparicio, Fajardo; Lon, Rubin

We say: Suriname 1-2 Guatemala

The visitors just ended a run of four defeats on the bounce, which could spur them on to a winning run, considering the match after this is at home to Suriname.

The hosts are in good nick, but they have never beaten Guatemala, losing three of the five head-to-heads.

With the previous two meetings in Suriname ending all square, it is likely that this one heads in the same direction.