Guyana booted from CONCACAF Gold Cup
Stabroek News
August 13, 2002
Guyana's senior national football team were booted from the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament by the Netherland Antilles, when the two teams met in a return fixture on Sunday in Curacao.
According to Guyana Football Federation's (GFF) General Secretary, George Rutherford, the locals who won the first game which was played at the GCC ground, Bourda by a 2-1 margin, lost the return fixture 0-1.
By virtue of winning the first game 2-1 and losing the second 0-1, the two teams engaged each other in a penalty shoot out to determine which of the two will advance to the 16-team play-offs beginning November 10 in Trinidad.
In the shoot out, Kayode McKinnon, Charles Pollard and Randolph Jerome all missed their shots, giving the hosts a victory.
Asked what is next for the seniors, Rutherford said a squad will be selected to go into training later in the year, for possible selection on the Olympic qualifying team.
Rutherford pointed out that the Olympic Qualifying tournament is basically for players under-23 years of age, but there is an allowance for four players over 23 years of age.
"We'll look and see if there are any outstanding players who are over 23 years in the current team and include them in the Olympic squad. I know for sure that Dean Forbes will be one of them" Rutherford stated.
Forbes who is based in England where he plays division one football, scored Guyana's winning goal in their 2-1 victory over the Netherlands Antilles at Bourda.
According to reports, Forbes is currently recovering from a hamstring injury and was not a part of the team that opposed Netherlands Antilles on Sunday in Curacao.
Meanwhile, the national under-17 footballers will take on Dominica in a return fixture of the Under-17 World Cup on Sunday at the GCC ground.
Guyana won the first game 2-0 and are tipped to win the return fixture.