On Tuesday, Nicaragua will face French Guiana at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium, with both teams seeking crucial points in their CONCACAF Nations League group phase.
Match Preview:
Nicaragua is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Jamaica, which marked the end of their impressive 14-game unbeaten run in the Nations League. Despite dominating possession and creating multiple scoring opportunities, they were unable to find the back of the net. To have any hope of advancing to the knockout stage, they must secure a victory against French Guiana and rely on favorable results in other matches.
Historically, Nicaragua has been strong at home in the Nations League, boasting a perfect record when leading at halftime. However, they have struggled to find their rhythm in the first half of games, having not scored in the opening 45 minutes of any League A fixture. In their previous encounter with French Guiana, Nicaragua emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win, thanks to a late goal from Widman Talavera.
French Guiana, on the other hand, finds themselves in a precarious situation, needing a win to avoid relegation to League B. They have struggled defensively, particularly in the second half, conceding three of their four goals in that period. They face an uphill battle, as they also need a combination of results to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Team News:
Nicaragua:
- Nicaragua made significant changes in their last match, bringing in Jason Vega as the goalkeeper and introducing Oscar Acevedo, Junior Arteaga, and Byron Bonilla to the starting lineup.
- Byron Bonilla has the chance to add to his goal tally and move up the all-time scoring list for Nicaragua, while Josue Quijano is approaching a milestone of 100 appearances.
Possible Nicaragua Starting Lineup: M. Rodriguez; Quijano, Fletes, J. Rodriguez, Acevedo; Barrera, Belli, Medina, Arteaga, Nino; Moreno
French Guiana:
- French Guiana retained five players from their previous match, with Mickael Colino, Gregory Lescot, Ludovic Baal, Loic Baal, and Yohan Marmot starting again.
- Raphael Galas made an impression by scoring on his debut, while Jules Haabo also found the net in the last match.
Possible French Guiana Starting Lineup: Leon; Colino, Letard, Lescot, Menard; Nemouthe, Lu. Baal, Vancaeyezeele, Lo. Baal, Galas; Haabo
Prediction:
Given the attacking depth and home advantage of Nicaragua, they are favored to come out on top in this encounter. French Guiana’s struggles in recent matches and inability to score away goals further add to Nicaragua’s chances of victory.
Prediction: Nicaragua 2-1 French Guiana
Expect a tightly contested match, but Nicaragua’s home advantage and attacking prowess should help them secure a much-needed victory to stave off relegation and keep their knockout stage hopes alive.
