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In a tournament characterized by top-heavy groups, Group D has been unusually competitive: heading into the final round of group-stage games, every team in Group D has at least one win. Yes, Panama is top of the group with four wins out of four and has already guaranteed itself top spot with a match to spare. Yes, Los Canaleros have really only been seriously challenged in one game to date: their 2-1 win over Canada.
But the other five teams in the group have tested each other and delivered some entertaining matches and one upset: St Kitts and Nevis’ first (perhaps only) win of the group stage was against Canada - a team that entered this tournament with the ambition of at least winning through to the next round, but instead suffered the curious indignity of losing to both the top and (at the time it played St Kitts and Nevis) bottom teams in Group D.
Canada’s surprise loss to SKN has left a slight opportunity for either Guadeloupe or Dominica to grab the runner-up spot in the group. It is a slight opportunity because Canada has a far superior goal difference to both and is only expected to improve that goal difference in its last game against Martinique. But if either Dominica or Guadeloupe can conjure a big win in this match, either can at least threaten to take second place in Group D.
Both Dominica and Guadeloupe lost their match-ups with Panama and Canada. Both beat Martinique and St Kitts and Nevis. Perhaps they’ll conspire to offer the one result their group hasn’t seen yet: a tie.