MIAMI - Guadeloupe surprised Canada Saturday night, winning 2-1 at the Orange Bowl in first round play of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Jocelyn Angloma and David Fleurival scored goals from distance and the Canadians were unable to stop the Caribbean side. Even though Ali Gerba evened the match temporarily in the first half, Roger Salnot's team was at the top of its game and demonstrated they still have much to say in this Gold Cup.
A win against Guadeloupe would have automatically qualified Canada for the next round. In trying to achieve this, Maple Leafs coach Stephen Hart deployed Julian De Guzman, who showcased his talent in the game against Costa Rica, and Houston Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario.
But it was Angloma who got all of the attention when, in the 10th minute, took a shot from about 35 yards that looped over Greg Sutton and into the goal. Guadeloupe again had surprised CONCACAF by getting a head-start.
Angloma's teammates rushed him to celebrate the unexpected goal and then returned to what they do best: defend firmly and without mistakes, and counterattack when given the chance.
But Canada did not want to just sit around and see their chances of qualifying disappear. Immediately after Angloma's goal, De Rosario tried to surprise Guadeloupe 'keeper Franck Grandel with a shot from the top of the box, but his shot went just inches wide of Grandel's left post.
De Rosario kept trying to force his teammates to come out of the haze in which Angloma's goal had left them, and it paid dividends in the 31st minute. De Guzman found Gerba alone inside the box and the Gothemborg (Sweden) forward had all the time in the world to bring the ball down and blast hit home.
The goal seemed to set things straight on paper but did not change the way the events were unfolding on the pitch. Guadeloupe kept up their game, motivated by the great game both Aurélien Capoue and Miguel Comminges were having until that point.
Then, in the 37th minute, Fleurival found a spot through the Canadian defense and took a long-range shot that surprised Sutton once again. The 2-1 advantage was an unexpected reward for the Guadeloupe fans who showed up to support their team at the Orange Bowl.
As the clock ticked, Canada grew stronger and its best players stepped out of the shadows. De Guzman received a ball from Atiba Hutchinson, one of the most active players on the field, and fired a shot in the 50th minute. Grandel once again played the hero, making a great diving save to push the ball out for a corner.
Minutes later, on a free kick far from goal, Martin Nash faked the shot and De Rosario made Grandel sweat with a powerful low drive that almost surprised the goalkeeper.
Canada did not cease in their efforts to tie the game, and captain Paul Stalteri finally chipped in with a crossed shot that skimmed the base of the right post of Grandel's goal. In the 80th minute, the Canadian captain would have another clear chance to tie the game after a magical play by De Rosario. Stalteri, though, and missed another open-net goal.
Before the end of the match, and with the Canadians having thrown themselves in a full fledged attack, Richard Socrier had a wonderful chance to score Guadeloupe's third goal, but his shot went wide.
Alfonso Duro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
