September 7 to November 22, 2020 (Americas Nations League)

September 7 to November 22, 2020 (Americas Nations League)

The Americas Nations League concluded this fortnight.

 

League A

In Group A1, Colombia dominated across the park and especially in possession against Paraguay, with Luis Muriel and Juan Cuadrado having multiple shots at goal be largely ineffective. Finally, a Gustavo Gómez own goal, heading back to stop his opponent, instead looped the ball over the wrong line. After that, Colombia was able to keep attacking, enough to keep Paraguay away from their own attacking end.

 

For the match against the USA, Ángel Romero and Mathias Villasanti had a break on the bench for Paraguay. However, it was Gómez who redeemed himself with a goal late in the first half after he received a pass from a corner and he slotted the ball along the ground, through legs and out of reach of the US goalkeeper. Carlos González then added to the scoreline, volleying a cross from the right wing to give Paraguay a two-goal lead at the break. The US had the better of play in the second half, but Paraguay held firm for the win and a small amount of payback after the 2-1 loss in the Copa America.

 

Muriel was injured in October, so Colombia made that change for the two matches, while the Americans made a few changes to give rise to some young blood. The US took a three-goal lead at the break, thanks to two penalties completed by Christian Pulisic, with Joshua Sargent’s goal sandwiched in between. Colombia bounced back in the second half, first with �"scar Murillo’s strike from long range, before James Rodríguez netted his own penalty. However, it was not enough as the USA gained their first victory.

 

Colombia made changes down the left wing and up front to wrestle with the long travel needed. Paraguay had to defend like wild early with the Colombian onslaught, only to even the match across the rest of the half. Then, momentum shifted as González scored with the outside of the left foot in the 49th minute after stealing the ball off a slow defender. However, Colombian striker Miguel Borja managed a scissor kick goal nineteen minutes later, and then neither side could break the 1-1 deadlock.

 

USA thumped Paraguay four-nil in November from four different goal scorers, all in the second half after a tough and tight tussle in the first. Brendan Aaronson headed soon after the break, and this was followed by three late goals in nine minutes. First, Antonee Robinson shot from long range, before both Paul Arriola and Dejuan Jones netted easy tap-in goals to round out the win.

 

However, Colombia also defeated the Americans by four goals. Jhon Arias was the first to score, before Luis Díaz scored twice in two minutes before halftime. Jorge Carrascal then finished off the win, even though Colombia knew they jumped from last to first based off this win alone. Paraguay, meanwhile, is relegated to League B for 2022.

 

Group A2 saw Jamaica make several changes to their Copa America squad, hoping to bounce back from the lacklustre affair. Ecuador, having reached the Quarter Finals of that tournament and the Semi Finals of the Inter-Nations League, kept a familiar line up. Jamaica certainly had the upper hand in the first half, scoring via Leon Bailey twice, in the tenth minute and in additional time. Gonzalo Plata and Enner Valencia sandwiched their goals in between. However, Ecuador took control of the second half, with Valencia scoring his second goal and substitute Fidel Martínez shooting with his left foot low in the 90th minute to gain an edge in the group.

 

Jamaica made one change at left back, while Peru came in needing to bounce back after a group stage exit at the Copa America. Both sides defended like wildfire as they blocked shots. It took Edison Flores in the 51st minute to break the deadlock with a brilliant touch, turn and shoot. From there, Peru held firm to gain a vital away victory.

 

Enner Valencia, still injured, remained on the bench for Ecuador as they travelled to Peru for their October matches. They needed him in the latter stages, though, as Peru came from behind to win 3-1. Ecuadorian goalkeeper Hernan Galíndez managed four saves in the first half, before Alan Franco hit first time in the 43rd minute to give Ecuador the lead. Peruvian substitute Wilder Cartagena made the difference as soon as he came on, scoring for his side with a left foot shot from a difficult angle. Paolo Guerrero and Christian Cueva then scored late in the match to gift Peru a second win.

 

Ecuador then travelled to Jamaica the next weekend, making two changes. Jamaica used the match to finalise their side for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Ecuador lost again after having the lead for much of the match. In a mirror image of the previous match, Galíndez made four saves in the first half, and Franco scored with his right foot. However, substitute Shamar Nicholson scored in the 80th and 83rd minutes to win the match for Jamaica and give them a slim chance at winning the group, or at least not being relegated. His first was a header off a cross from the right wing, while the second was a right foot shot that smacked the post before spinning across the line.

 

 

In November, Jamaica turned around the away loss to Peru with two goals in the first half. Daniel Johnson scored with his head in the fourteenth minute, before Demario Phillips doubled the lead with a chip over the Peruvian goalkeeper. From there, they held on for the three points.

 

For the final match, Ecuador made changes at right and left back. This proved effective, as, like Colombia, they rose from last to first with a three-goal victory over Peru. Alan Franco opened the tale, but it was Pervis Estupiñán who scored straight after the break and gave Ecuador a real shot at winning the group. Félix Torres polished off the win with a fast break, thus creating euphoria for the hosts, and despair for Peru, having lost their two November games, and thus relegated to League B.

 

In Group A3, Brazil sought to come back from the disappointment of the Copa America as well as losing to Japan in the Inter-Nations League Final. However, Mexico came from behind to defeat the South American giants, after Roberto Firmino put the hosts ahead. Luís Rodríguez finished his shot into an open goal after an initial cross/shot was parried straight to him. Orbelin Pineda then scored with his right, shooting across his body with a deft touch that fooled the Brazilian goalkeeper. Mexico then held firm in defence and then played keepings-off for the remaining minutes to start their campaign off with a bang. It did not help that two injuries took Brazilian players off earlier than desired.

 

Mexico made one change up front, returning home to tackle Venezuela. The hosts seemed to have the better of the match, scoring at the same time Firmino did against them. Pineda had his second goal of the Nations League. However, poor defence let Venezuela back into the match, after the visitors played for much of the first half with an injured striker, and Ronald Hernández turned around defenders and scored an equaliser. Pineda had a chance to win the match, only to hit the woodwork, and then steely defence from Venezuela kept the match a draw.

 

In October, Brazil had the joy of two away matches, starting with Venezuela. Venezuela, though, had their own joy as they went up 3-0 late in the match, before Fred and Arthur managed to get goals back. Josê Martínez got the game going in the seventh minute with his head. Cristian Cásseres doubled the lead, also with his head, in the 66th minute, before substitute Tomás Rincón scored with true intent that Brazil had nothing but praise for their opponents.

 

Brazil made a large overhaul for their match against Mexico, and it paid off as Fred scored his second in two games, while defender Alex Telles smacked a corner into the back of the net with his header. Mexico looked lacklustre across the park and had no answers for the Brazilians.

 

This win set up the final two games with any teams in with a chance of progressing as well as ending in the relegation position. Venezuela and Mexico played out the tightest of scoreless draws, before Brazil romped Venezuela 5-1 to win the group. That defeat also set Venezuela into third and will drop to League B for 2022. Lucas Paquetá started Brazil off in perfect order, until Luis Mago levelled for the visitors. Richarlison, however, scored either side of the break, with Gabriel Magalhães’ goal wedged in between. Marquinhos topped off the win in the 81st minute.

 

Group A4’s September games went to the away sides, with Uruguay defeating Chile and Argentina defeating Uruguay. That set up the group to follow that pattern, ensuring Argentina topped the group with five wins and one draw, their last match against Chile. Earlier, the Argentinians defeated Chile 5-0, and then Uruguay defeated Chile 1-0 for the second time, before Argentina guaranteed a place in the Nations League Finals with a 2-1 win against Uruguay. Chile, on the other hand, will play in League B.

 

League B

In Group B1, Guatemala came down from their Copa America high with a single goal victory over Nicaragua, scored by José Martínez. Goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez kept out two saves at the death to help hold onto the lead.

 

Guatemala then flew to Haiti to tackle their neighbours, only to lose 2-0. Wildedonald Guerrier had the best chance of the first half, before snagging a goal in the 61st minute. His shot was from a cutback to outside the box, and he took one touch and shot low through sliding defenders and out of reach of Jérez. Left back Jeppe Simonsen then doubled the lead as he outmuscled two defenders and powered home in similar location in the goal to Guerrier. From there, Haiti held on for the solid win.

 

Nicaragua bounced back from the CONCACAF Gold Cup loss to Cuba with a 2-0 win over Haiti. Richard Rodríguez’s left foot shot took a deflection, allowing the ball to bounce over the diving Haitian goalkeeper. Ariagner Smith then scored from the spot in the final minutes after Nicaragua countered when Haiti should have equalised via Bryan Alceus.

 

Guatemala made two changes while Haiti changed their striker around, having not scored in two games. No shots on target took place in the first half, though Haiti had three shots miss the mark. Guatemala’s Edi Guerra instead broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, and Guatemala held firm as they mentally prepared for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

 

 

 

Group B2 started in September with a scoreless draw between Bolivia, who missed out on the Copa America, and Panama, who was preparing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup Stage 1.

 

Bolivia made many changes for the away match against Honduras, and it nearly paid off as Juan Arce equalised right on halftime after Jerry Bengtson’s thirteenth-minute opener. However, Honduras had other ideas and substitute Jhon Benavidez scored with his first touch, a header off a corner to win the match for the hosts.

 

After Panama exited out at the Group Stage of the Gold Cup, they faced Honduras, who wanted one final win before entering the final stage of the Gold Cup. Panama scored in the thirteenth minute with a header by Gabriel Torres, hitting the post and entering the goal area. Honduras, though, poached a goal late in the match via the head of Alexander López. Panama’s substitute, Jose Fajardo, however, had other ideas, and nailed the post with his shot four minutes later before the ball did the same as it had for Torres, and Panama had the win.

 

The Honduran defensive structure improved on the travel to Bolivia, in the hope of that win. However, Bolivia’s defence was just as sound, and the only real chances came from the hosts’ Marcelo Martins, once in the first half with a header cleared off the line, and the other a half volley that flew straight to the Honduran goalkeeper.

 

Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell scored on the half hour mark to set up an away win against Cuba in Group B3. Costa Rica then travelled home to take on St Kitts and Nevis, who held firm until the 67th minute when substitute Bryan Ruíz snagged a header into the back of the net. St Kitts then gave away two penalties; the first being a sliding challenge and the second a clear handball. However, Ruíz missed the first one, saved by the visitors’ goalkeeper, while Johan Venegas stepped up for the second and ensured Costa Rica with a 2-0 win.

 

After losing the Gold Cup Final, Cuba flew to St Kitts and Nevis, and held firm as the hosts attacked for the first thirty minutes. Instead, Cuba scored both goals of the match, with Arichel Hernández reaching above his marking man with his jump and nailing the goal, before his replacement, Jose Pérez, curled the ball into the back of the net in additional time.

 

Costa Rica made two changes to trial something different up front before the Gold Cup. They defeated Cuba by the same scoreline as in September, with Celso Borges shooting from long range and getting the ball to bounce in line but out of reach of the diving goalkeeper, before hitting the back of the net. From there, Costa Rica held on for the win.

 

Group B4 started with seven goals for Trinidad and Tobago against St Vincent and the Grenadines’ one. Nazir McBurnette scored the first goal in the seventh minute, but from there, the hosts scored seven, including five from Levi García.

 

St Vincent then lost their home game against Canada. Oalex Anderson did equalise after Jonathan David opened the scoring for the Canadians. However, Cyle Larin and Alphonso Davies had other ideas as they tapped in straightforward goals to give Canada the three points.

 

Canada then backed this up with a solid 4-2 win in October against Trinidad and Tobago. Alvin Jones brought the visitors level at 2-2 in the 70th minute, after Davies and David had both scored. Davies and Liam Millar then headed home goals to ensure Canada’s supremacy on the group.

 

Trinidad played another away match, this time gaining the three points against St Vincent. In November, Canada defeated St Vincent 1-0 at home, and then routed Trinidad 3-0 away.