Cayman wraps up historic appearance in Concacaf Nations League Play-In

The Cayman Islands Men’s National Team wrapped up the first Concacaf Nations League (CNL) Play-In appearance in the country’s history on Tuesday, 19 Nov., capping a 2024 CNL run where Cayman earned a promotion to League B in the next edition of the tournament.

“I’m so proud of the boys,” Cayman Islands Head Coach Joey Jap Tjong said. “We are getting better every day, every match. Our players are putting in the effort and work and we are continuing to develop together.”

Cayman finished its CNL Play-In series with Guadeloupe with a 1-0 loss in the second leg of the home-and-away series. It was a significant improvement on the rain-soaked first meeting that saw Cayman fall 6-0 in a match that was delayed nearly 45 minutes due to weather conditions.

“That first match was not a true reflection of the level we are playing at right now,” Jap Tjong said. “Guadeloupe played in League A this year and have very good players. That fact that our team rebounded and performed as well as we did says a lot.”

In addition to better weather conditions, Cayman also benefited from the return of several key players, including captain Mason Duval and forward Gunnar Studenhofft. The match remained scoreless until the 88th minute, when Guadeloupe substitute Vikash Tille scored the winner.

“We put ourselves in position to potentially win this match,” Jap Tjong. “We’ll keep learning and moving forward. We need continued community support.”

Due to its position as the best second-place finisher in the League C Group Stage, Cayman has secured a promotion to League B in the next edition of the CNL. It marks the first time Cayman will play in League B.