Match preview: 2016 Caribbean Cup Qualifying – Jamaica vs. Suriname

Game: Jamaica vs. Suriname

Date: Sunday, November 13th

Time: 6:00 PM Eastern (Jamaica), 8:00 PM SRT

Venue: Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex (Kingston, Jamaica)

Television and streaming: None

Defending Caribbean Cup Champions Jamaica host upstart Suriname in the final match of the third round of 2017 Caribbean Cup Qualifying tonight in Kingston. The winner of this match will automatically qualify for the final round of the Caribbean Cup, along with French Guiana, Curaçao, and Martinique. The loser will be entered into the Fifth place playoff with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and the winner of the Saint Kitts and Nevis match against Haiti. The winner of the playoff qualifies for the 2017 Gold Cup.

Jamaica looked a bit shaky against Guyana in their last match, going down 2-0 and having a penalty stopped by Guyanese goalkeeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle before triumphing in added time 4-2. Suriname had a bit easier of a time against Guyana, coming back from 1-0 down to win 3-2 – again in added time.

While Jamaica usually fields a squad made mostly of players in Major League Soccer, only Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Shaun Francis (San Jose Earthquakes), Omar Holness (Real Salt Lake), Oneil Fisher (Seattle Sounders), and Romario Williams (Montreal Impact) are with the squad now, which is bolstered by some talent from lower divisions in the United States (including Bethlehem Steel FC’s Cory Burke), with the balance coming from the Jamaican Premier League. By contrast, Suriname only fields players based domestically – the only exception being forward Dimitrie Apai, who plays professionally for W Connection in Trinidad and Tobago.