Suriname began its qualifying campaign at home to Cayman Islands. The fans in Paramaribo were surely delighted when the home side drew a penalty in the tenth minute and converted for a 1-0 lead. That was the score heading into the half as well.Suriname surely spent the second half nervously clinging to its one-goal lead as the second goal never came. However, the home side won this matchup of Caribbean Football Union members by a final score of 1-0.
El Salvador and its rowdy fans in San Salvador were eagerly welcoming the start of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying. However, the team that finished in fifth place in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 edition of the tournament looked less than stellar against the lowest seed in Group A. No goals were scored in the first half, and it looked as though the Dominican Republic were in good position for a surprise draw or victory.
Salvadoran start player Rodolfo Zelaya, a striker in the second tier of Russian football, provided a goal not yet ten minutes after the restart for the long-awaited opening goal. Francisco Ubiera was sent off in the 57th minute for a second yellow card, leaving the Dominican Republic down a man for the final third of the match. With the numerical advantage, El Salvador were clearly favored, but they merely played the rest of the match to a 2-2 draw. El Salvador scored for 2-0 seven minutes after the expulsion, but the shorthanded Dominicans answered two minutes later for 2-1. Zelaya converted from the spot with a dozen minutes left for 3-2 after Osael Romero had been chopped down in the box, but the Dominican Republic put in a second goal in the final minute of regulation. El Salvador held on for a disappointing 3-2 victory, but a victory nonetheless. El Salvador will look to be stronger at Cayman Islands on Tuesday, whereas the Dominican Republic will look to defeat Suriname on home soil.
Goals:
Suriname
Friso Mando 11 PK
El Salvador
Rodolfo Zelaya 54, 78 PK
Cristian Bautista 64
Dominican Republic
Jhoan Cruz 66
Domingo Peralta 90
Match Reports:
Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neSoUCQ_MY4 (El Salvador v. Dominican Republic)
Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AILvJu2Q6T0 (first half Suriname v. Cayman Islands)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2nw9GDsTxg (second half Suriname v. Cayman Islands)
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