Natio makes history by reaching the Nations League quarterfinals

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Players and staff embraced each other at the final whistle from referee Steffon Dewar, while the well-attended crowd at Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium shared in the joy. This all stems from Natio’s historic achievement at the expense of Guyana.
Thanks to a dominant 5-1 victory over their western rivals, Natio has, for the first time in history, qualified for the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Nations League. Head coach Stanley Menzo’s team received some help from Costa Rica, with whom they forced a draw on Friday. Costa Rica then won 3-0 at home against Guatemala, which remained at 7 points—tied with Suriname.
However, Natio edged out Guatemala due to a better goal difference (5-1), advancing as the second team along with group winner Costa Rica to the quarterfinals, which will take place from November 14 to 18. Guatemala, which started the evening as group leader, ended in third place, while Martinique and Guadeloupe, who played to a 0-0 draw, finished fourth and fifth with 5 and 4 points, respectively. Bottom-of-the-group Guyana remained at 1 point.
A New ChapterQualification for the Nations League knockout phase marks a new chapter in Suriname’s national team history, following their 2021 Gold Cup appearance. This milestone also coincided with coach Menzo’s 61st birthday.
In the lead-up to the match against Guyana, Menzo and his players emphasized the importance of not only winning but also securing a convincing victory. Goal difference was crucial to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive, and it didn’t take long for Natio to make their intentions clear on the field.
After barely ten minutes, Suriname had already taken a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Ssurinameo Becker. Guyana briefly threatened to spoil the celebration when Jalen Jones reduced the deficit to 2-1, but Suriname took control from there.
In the 33rd minute, Virgil Misidjan restored the two-goal margin, giving Suriname a 3-1 lead at halftime. Less than six minutes into the second half, debutant Denzel Jubithana extended the score to 4-1, followed by Ridgeciano Haps who sealed it at 5-1 in the 69th minute. Both Natio and Guyana came close to scoring again, but no goals were added before referee Dewar blew the final whistle.
Suriname and Costa Rica now advance to the quarterfinals along with Jamaica and Honduras. They will face the top four Concacaf teams, which did not have to compete in the group stage: the USA, Mexico, Canada, and Panama.