Suriname secured a 2:1 victory over Martinique in the CONCACAF Nations League, League A - 2, on Sunday evening at the Doctor Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium. The hosts took control in the second half, scoring twice after the interval, before Martinique pulled one back late on. It was a result that kept their campaign moving, though the visitors will take heart from the consolation goal.
Suriname started brightly enough, but the first real shift came at the break when Dhoraso Klas came on for the hosts. By then, the game felt like it was waiting for something to happen. Justin Lonwijk provided that catalyst in the 54th minute, breaking the deadlock with a well-taken goal. And here's the thing — it wasn't a moment born from sustained pressure, just a clean finish when the opportunity presented itself.
The second half saw both sides reshuffle their options. Martinique brought on Joris Moutachy and Jonathan Mexique in the 64th minute, while Suriname responded with Immanuel Pherai and Che Nunnely. Gyrano Kerk doubled the advantage in the 69th minute, capitalising on a moment of space. To be fair, Martinique had been vulnerable in transition, and Kerk made them pay.
What followed was a frantic period. Martinique made three changes in quick succession — Denilho Cleonise, Kenny Lala, and Janis Antiste came off, though the data shows those were actually Suriname's substitutions. Their reply came in the 81st minute when Boris Moltenis struck, pulling one back. Kenneth Paal was brought on for the hosts in stoppage time, and the game ran out.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without fluency. Suriname controlled 68 per cent of possession and registered 102 attacks compared to Martinique's 61, yet only created one clear chance between them. They hit the target five times each, but conversion was the issue — two goals from ten shots on target is not a ratio to build on. Martinique managed three shots on target and needed all three saves from their goalkeeper to stay in the contest.
For Suriname, the result extends their recent form, which has been mixed at best. They beat Honduras 3:2 on Wednesday after losses to Bolivia and Guatemala, but followed those with a dominant 4:0 win over El Salvador. This victory doesn't solve their problems, but it gives them momentum heading into the next fixture. Martinique, meanwhile, have now lost their last three matches — a run that includes defeats to El Salvador and Jamaica, plus a narrow loss to the hosts.
