2023 Gold Cup Group D Preview

(image via Getty Images)

The 17th edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup continues tonight with Canada vs Guadeloupe and Guatemala vs Cuba. These four teams make up Group D for this tournament. Here is an in-depth look at each team.

Canada

Canada are the team on the rise over the last few years. This all started with Canada making the semi-finals in the 2021 Gold Cup, their best performance in the tournament since 2007. They followed that up by dominating in World Cup Qualifying, finishing top of the table. They then made the finals of this previous Nations League losing to the United States. While this roster is missing a lot of the star attacking talent from overseas, there is still lots of quality in this roster. Porto’s Stephen Eustaquio is the highlight of the bunch alongside some star MLS talent. All this talent alongside a great coach with John Herdman means they should be making a semi-final at the minimum. They may even go on and win the whole thing.

(Editor’s note: Eustaquio and Sam Adekugbe have pulled out of the squad on the eve of the opening match)

Projected Lineup

Goalkeeper: Milan Borjan

Right Back: Richie Laryea

Center Back: Kamal Miller

Center Back: Steven Vitoria

Left Back: Sam Adekugbe

Winger: Junior Hoilett

Center Midfield: Stephen Eustaquio

Center Midfield: Jonathan Osorio

Winger: Liam Millar

Striker: Lucas Cavallini

Striker: Charles-Andreas Brym

Guatemala

Guatemala are a team that have struggled massively over the last 20 plus years. They have qualified from the group stages of this tournament just twice in 20 years. They have also failed to ever qualify for a World Cup. They continue under long time Liga MX coach Luis Fernando Tena as they try to be competitive in Concacaf once again. The roster is almost entirely made up of players from their domestic league and also features a standout fullback in MLS with Aaron Herrera. Former United States player Rubio Rubin will feature again after switching to represent Guatemala last year. While this is not a great roster, they have found themselves in an easy group where they should be able to finish in second place. If they qualify through the group, they are likely candidates to get embarrassed in the knockouts.

Projected Lineup

Goalkeeper: Nicholas Hagen

Right Back: Aaron Herrera

Center Back: Nicolas Samayoa

Center Back: Jose Carlos Pinto

Left Back: Jose Morales

Winger: Carlos Mejia

Center Midfield: Rodrigo Saravia

Center Midfield: Jorge Aparicio

Winger: Nathaniel Mendez-Lang

Striker: Rubio Rubin

Striker: Darwin Lom

Guadeloupe

After making the semi-finals back in 2007, it has been a downward slope for this national team, failing to reach those heights ever since. Their last two tournaments, they lost all three games and crashed out in the group stage. There is a large French presence on this team with 11 players coming from the French leagues. Andrew Gravillon and Thierry Ambrose are the big names that will look to carry them into the knockouts. With an easier group, they definitely can make it out of this group, but I don’t see it happening.

Projected Lineup

Goalkeeper: Davy Rouyard

Right Back: Mickael Alphonse

Center Back: Andrew Gravillon

Center Back: Meddy Lina

Center Back: Cedric Avinel

Left Back: Anthony Baron

Center Midfield: Jordan Leborgne

Center Midfield: Johan Rotsen

Forward: Jordan Tell

Forward: Matthias Phaeton

Striker: Thierry Ambrose

Cuba

Cuba will be looking to return to the knockout rounds after not qualifying since 2015. The last time they were in the Gold Cup was 2019 where they lost all three games. They have recently found success in the Nations League, topping their group by winning five out of six games. This was in Division B, but still a step in the right direction. They have a fairly diverse roster with some representation from their own league, the Costa Rican leagues, the Guatemalan leagues, and some USL players. This roster is missing their biggest name, Onel Hernandez of Norwich. Like Guatemala and Guadeloupe, that second place spot behind Canada is wide open, so expect Cuba to challenge for it. If they make it past the group, they likely won’t last much longer.

Projected Lineup

Goalkeeper: Sandy Sanchez

Right Back: Dariel Morejon

Center Back: Modesto Mendez

Center Back: Cavafe

Center Back: Yosel Piedra

Left Back: Jorge Corrales

Winger: Luis Paradela

Center Midfield: Arichel Hernandez

Center Midfield: Roberney Caballero

Winger: Willian Pozo-Venta

Striker: Maikel Reyes