On Tuesday, Canada conceded an own goal in the 94th minute to hold Guadeloupe to a 2-2 draw in Group D’s first encounter of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Guatemala defeated Cuba 1-0 in the night’s other match in the biennial North American regional battle in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to take the group lead.
Guadeloupe’s Thierry Ambrose, who opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, hammered a low cross that bounced into the goal off Canadian Jacque Russell-Rowe for the stoppage-time equalizer in Toronto.
Canadian forward Lucas Cavallini, who plays for Tijuana in the Mexican League, equalized four minutes into the second half.
Canada took the lead in the 70th minute thanks to an own goal by Guadeloupe defender Meddy Lina and held on until the final seconds.
At halftime in Fort Lauderdale, Cuban goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena deflected a penalty attempt by Guatemalan Darwin Lom with his left hand off the left post in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
But Lom scored the game’s sole goal from within the penalty area in the 48th minute, sending a one-touch right foot rocket between a defender’s legs well inside the bottom corner of the far left post.
Group D action begins Saturday in Houston, with Canada facing Guatemala and Cuba facing Guadeloupe.
The second group stage round begins on Wednesday, with Group A leader Trinidad and Tobago facing Jamaica and the host United States facing St. Kitts and Nevis in St. Louis.
