Glasgow eyes 2023 CONCACAF Nations League

Guyanese forward Omari Glasgow, who CONCACAF has described as one of the rising stars of the 2022/2023 CONCACAF Nations League (CNL), believes his country has the potential to reach the Gold Cup next year once the squad puts in the necessary work.

The 19-year-old who led the scoring for the national team through the first four matches of the CNL, said he was aiming to help get Guyana to that level.

“Getting them to the Gold Cup would be a dream come true for me because I always want to play in one of the highest levels in CONCACAF,” he told CONCACAF.

Glasgow was the star in Guyana’s opening CNL encounter, leading a comeback with a second half brace for a 2-1 win over Montserrat. The young forward scored off a free kick in the 61st minute and provided the game winner 10 minutes later at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – the same setting of his debut senior international goal just one year prior.

He delivered another game-winning goal in Guyana’s second CNL match to take a 2-1 result against Bermuda. With six points in hand, the Golden Jaguars were holding onto the top of Group B.

However, the following two matches – back-to-back encounters with Haiti – threw a wrench in Guyana’s aspirations to ascend. Haiti won both encounters to take pole position for promotion and the direct qualification to the 2023 Gold Cup.

Guyana can still get promoted by winning its remaining two matches, but they’ll need Haiti to stumble. What can be secured with the second-place spot is a spot in the Gold Cup Preliminary Round, as the country is hopeful to return after making its first appearance in the 2019 edition.

“I think we could qualify, but we just have to work. We have two more games, we just got to get full points,” said Glasgow who trails the golden boot race by one in League B.

“The tournament is very good for us because we showcase ourselves. As I said before, we’re trying to get into the top tier of the CONCACAF with the big teams. We’re working to get there. This round of Nations League we’ve just got to take what God make happen for us and just continue working to get there one day.”

The ultimate aspiration is to earn Guyana’s first ever World Cup berth. An expanded 48-team tournament in 2026, hosted in CONCACAF, has painted the setting for a dream debut.

“One of my main goals is trying to get Guyana into the World Cup. In 2026, the US, Mexico, and Canada are hosting the World Cup, so that’s a good chance for us to get in there,” said Glasgow.

“I think the small Caribbean countries have a chance to get in there and I hope we make full use of that chance by then, because, as I said, it’s a process and we’re building towards that.” (CMC)