The Guatemalan national soccer team announced this Tuesday that it will play a friendly against its Nicaraguan counterpart in the United States, on May 26, as part of the preparation prior to the start of the Concacaf qualifiers for the Copa del Rey World of 2026.
Those led by Mexican Luis Fernando Tena will face the Nicaraguans at the PayPal Park stadium, located in the city of San José, California, United States, before starting the qualifying rounds at home against Dominica on June 5.
The meeting will serve as preparation for both teams, which hope to get a pass to the 2026 World Cup event that will be held jointly between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Guatemala with legionaries and a local base
Guatemala played several matches between March and April. In those matches, they achieved a goalless draw with Venezuela and two defeats against Ecuador and Iceland.
The Guatemalan leader will be able to carry out training with the selected players who have been part of his base, and who will be the ones who will be in the official matches.
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That match will also serve for the Guatemalan team to bring together some of its legionary players such as goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen of the Columbus Crew of the MLS and midfielder Nathaniel Méndez Laing of Derby County, recently promoted to the second division of English football.
Nicaragua hopes to return to the path of victory
In the case of Nicaragua, led by Chilean Marco Antonio Figueroa, they lost to Cuba and Peru last March. Given that, he hopes to find himself again with victory at stake against Guatemala.
In the last match in which both teams faced each other, Guatemala won 3-1 against Nicaragua, on November 19, 2022, at the Dignity Health Sports Park, in the United States.
‘Los Chapines’ hope to face Argentina in another friendly, on Friday, June 14, 2024, at the FedExField Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
Guatemala’s agenda is ready so that fans can enjoy the 2024 games, which will mostly be played on US soil.
