Guyana’s path to their second appearance in the Gold Cup will go through Guatemala, as the Golden Jaguars, the senior men’s team, were drawn against the Central American outfit last evening during the inaugural 2021 Concacaf Draw, which was staged in Miami.
The Guyanese who are ranked 19th in Concaf and 166th under the FIFA umbrella, will now match skills with the 1967 Concacaf Championship victor, the precursor to the now Gold Cup, for a place in the second round of qualifiers. Guatemala, who emerged as winner of their Nations League group-C pool, is ranked ninth in the region and 130th internationally.
Meanwhile, the first round will also witness Haiti battling Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago against Montserrat, Cuba opposing French Guiana, Guadeloupe tackling Bahamas and Bermuda engaging Barbados.