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Sunday 18 November 2012

French Guiana secure shock Caribbean Cup qualification on goal-difference

Despite losing 4-3 to Guyana on the final day of group 6 qualification French Guiana made it to only their 2nd-ever Caribbean Cup finals thanks to having a better goal-difference than hosts Grenada. 

The non-FIFA team will appear at the December tournament for the 1st time since 1996 in what goes down as a huge upset in the Caribbean footballing world. Having gone 1 behind to a Vurlon Mills goal in the 12th minute Stanley Ridel drew French Guiana level 22 minutes later. However straight after the interval Walter Moore made it 2-1 before Shawn Beveney added a 3rd. The French side then pulled a goal back via Marc-Frédéric Habran in the 63rdminute only for Beveney to make it 4-2 from the penalty spot with 2 minutes to go. In stoppage time defender Marc Edwige bagged his 1st international goal, pulling it back to 4-3.

Eyes turned to Grenada vs. Haiti and with the Haitians winning 2-0 it was confirmed that the non-FIFA side had completed a fairy-tale qualification. Finishing in 2nd place French Guiana will now go into group B of the finals where they’ll meet Jamaica, Cuba and the other non-FIFA qualifier Martinique. The tournament is scheduled for December 7th-16th.

Match information - 

Score: Guyana 4 - 3 French Guiana

Goals: Guyana - Vurlon Mills 12’, Walter Moore 46’, Shawn Beveney 56’, 88' (p). French Guiana - Stanley Ridel 34’, 63’, Marc Edwige 90+1’.

French Guiana XI: Petit-Homme; E Martinion, Sophie, Torvic, Edwige; D Martinon [Habran 50'], Jean-Jacques, Lespérance, Ho Méou-Choune [Clet 55']; Ridel, Pigrée.

Final table:


Team
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Haiti
2
0
1
3
1
+2
6
French Guiana
1
1
1
5
5
0
4
Grenada
1
1
1
3
4
-1
4
Guyana
1
0
2
5
6
-1
0

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