Bicolor must overcome multiple obstacles, heading to Qatar 2022 and
the 2021 Gold Cup.
After a year in which the Covid-19 pandemic reduced the activity of the National Soccer Team to a few blank matches, in 2021 it has an agenda full of official commitments, heading to the Qatar 2022 World Cup and the Gold Cup 2021.
Due to its position in the FIFA world ranking (131), the bicolor team will be forced to play preliminary rounds in both competitions, to try to advance.
The bicolor managed two blank matches this month, 23 and 26, compared to its counterpart in Puerto Rico, who will visit Doroteo Guamuch Flores on both dates, this in preparation for a busy year, as long as it progresses in each stage.
23
and January 26, Guatemala will face Puerto Rico in friendly matches at Doroteo Guamuch Flores.
The National Soccer Federation is still looking for a blank for February, so that the National Team can have a better preparation, although it has not been made official.
Official matches
The tie will begin on March 24, with the home team against Cuba, in Group C of the preliminary round, which will give 3 places in
the final octagonal of the Concacaf towards the World Cup.
On the 27th of that month he will visit the British Virgin Islands, although the doubt remains whether this duel will take place on the Caribbean island or in the United States, due to the lack of an adequate playing field.
The tie will continue on June 4, with the local blue and white in front
to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and will close his visit on the 8th of that month on the field in Curaçao, which has been reinforced with the Dutch coach Gus Hiddink.
The first place in this group will collide in another tie against the winner of the D key, and the winner of this phase will win a place in the octagonal final heading to Qatar 2022, starting in September.
gold Cup
Without much time to lose, the bicolor will have to pack suitcases and travel to the United States to face the preliminary phase of the 2021 Gold Cup, for which there are still 3 places among 12 teams, for which they must win 2 matches and thus enter the group stage of the contest.
Guatemala will face Guyana on July 2, in the first preliminary round and if they advance, on July 6 they will be the rival of the winner of the key between Guadeloupe and Bahamas, a complicated path for the National Team led by Amarini Villatoro.
The three winning teams will find a place in the group stage of the continental tournament.
A 2020 with little action
The Guatemalan National Team did not manage to comply with the planning planned since the beginning of 2020 by coach Amarini Villatoro, due to the pandemic, and it was only enough to play 4 friendly matches.
In these matches, they lost against Panama and Mexico, tied against Nicaragua and beat Honduras, in the last friendly that took place in
the Doroteo Guamuch Flores.
Guatemala selection
Concacaf Qualifiers to Qatar 2022
First Round – Group C
Date 1
Guatemala vs Cuba
March 24, 2021
Doroteo Guamuch Flores Stadium.
Date 2
British Virgin Islands vs Guatemala
March 27, 2021
Shirley Recreational Field.
Date 3
Guatemala vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
June 4th
Doroteo Guamuch Flores Stadium.
Date 4
Curaçao vs Guatemala
8 of June
Ergilio Hato Stadium.
Previous phase Gold Cup 2021
Ronda 1
Guatemala vs Guyana
July 2nd
U.S
(stage to be defined).
Ronda 2
Winner (Guatemala vs Guyana) vs Winner (Guadeloupe vs Bahamas)
July 6th
U.S
(stage to be defined).
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