Suriname itself lost 3-1 to Guatemala, while competitor Panama won comfortably against El Salvador. Much to the disappointment of the approximately one hundred fans who watched the match together. Yet it all seemed to go completely wrong. Because with a 3-0 deficit, Suriname would not qualify for the intercontinental play-offs in March.
Due to an own goal by Guatemala deep in injury time, Suriname finally secured that spot. It caused mixed feelings among the fans, including Marcel Menzo, the brother of Suriname national coach Stanley Menzo. “We really wanted to finish today, but hey, we’re still here. We’ve never been this far and we’re still in the game. So we’ll get there.”