Guatemala City had been leaning toward frustration before Matthew Evans turned the night in stoppage time. His late strike gave Guatemala a 1-0 win over Suriname, sent Luis Fernando Tena’s side into the quarter-finals against Canada and left the closing scenes overshadowed by a confrontation involving visiting goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen.
Quick facts
- Guatemala defeated Suriname 1-0.
- Matthew Evans scored in added time.
- The result put Guatemala into the quarter-finals, where Canada await.
- Suriname goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen was involved in a post-match altercation.
- Vaessen later made obscene gestures towards home supporters while heading for the tunnel.
Vaessen had already been at the centre of a difficult evening behind his goal. Throughout the match, he exchanged words and reactions with Guatemala supporters positioned in the stands behind him, with the hostility building as the contest remained scoreless.
There was another flashpoint involving Suriname forward Richonell Margaret. Footage from the match showed the player appearing to spit in the direction of the crowd during an exchange with spectators.
For long stretches, Guatemala appeared destined to leave with a draw. Evans changed that in added time, finding the net with a finish that sparked celebrations among the home players and supporters.
The final whistle brought no calm. Vaessen left his area and moved towards the Guatemala players, becoming directly involved as shoving and arguments broke out on the pitch.
During the scuffle, the Suriname goalkeeper was knocked to the ground and surrounded by several players as the pushing continued. The incident followed immediately after Guatemala’s decisive late winner and qualification-clinching result.
Vaessen remained a focus as he made his way towards the dressing rooms. Before leaving the field, he directed obscene gestures at the Guatemalan crowd, adding a final contentious note to a night that had begun with a quarter-final place at stake and ended in disorder.
