Belize secured a narrow 0:1 victory over Sint Maarten in their CONCACAF Nations League B encounter on Saturday, avenging last season's defeat with a goal that came after the hosts had gone down to ten men. Najib Guerra's 52nd-minute strike proved decisive in a match where the visitors controlled most phases but struggled to convert their dominance into clear opportunities.
It was the 35th minute when everything shifted for the home side, Ronan Olivacce receiving a second yellow card that sent him from the pitch. By then Sint Maarten had already seen Nathaniel Krabbendam booked, and the dismissal left them chasing the game against a Belize side that had been frustrated in their previous meeting.
The statistics told a story of one-sided possession without end product. Belize held 66 per cent of the ball and registered 12 shots, five on target, while Sint Maarten managed just five attempts with none finding the frame. Both sides created zero big chances, though the visitors' goalkeeper did not need to make a single save.
And here's the thing about matches like this — once you lose a player in the first half, you stop dictating and start surviving. Sint Maarten's substitutions told the tale: Krabbendam came off at 74 minutes, replaced by Ties Kerssies and Chovanie Amatkarijo, while Elmer Vries de also entered the fray as the hosts tried to contain what was coming.
To be fair, Sint Maarten had done well enough to earn respect from their recent record. They had gone unbeaten in four matches across March and November, with draws against Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis, plus a win over Aruba. This result ended that run, but the manner of defeat — playing most of the second half a man down — softened the blow.
The final whistle brought six yellow cards in quick succession, three for each side, as tempers frayed in the closing stages. Belize's Christina Quinton and Darrel Albert Myvett, Sint Maarten's Mitchell Nooijer de and Najib Guerra all joined the caution list before the match ended with a flurry of substitutions from both camps.
