Surinam vs. Guatemala ends 1–1: Late Misidjan strike stuns La Bicolor in World Cup qualifying

What the result means for Group A ( Surinam vs. Guatemala )

The point keeps Surinam unbeaten and nudges them to the top of the group with 5 points, while Guatemala climbs to 2—a haul that still leaves minimal margin for error with two matchdays in this October window. The nightcap between El Salvador and Panamá will shape the table, but the headline remains the same for Guatemala: missed opportunity, heavy consequence.

Group A snapshot (after Surinam–Guatemala)

• Surinam: 5 pts, unbeaten, two home results in the bank

• Guatemala: 2 pts, three games without a win in the phase

• El Salvador, Panamá: in action later; their result will define the pressure heading into the next round of fixtures

How the match unfolded: control vs. punch

Surinam controlled long stretches—nearly two-thirds possession, waves of pressure, and a steady supply of crosses and cutbacks—yet lacked incision until the final breath. Guatemala bent without breaking, trusted Nicholas Hagen to handle traffic, and waited for a counterpunch. It arrived on a classic away-day sequence: direct progression, first touch into space, and Lom’s composed finish across the keeper for 0–1.

From there, La Bicolor drifted into game management: deeper lines, slower restarts, and selective counters to burn the clock. The calculus was understandable; the execution, just short. In added time, a second ball sat up at the edge of the box and Misidjan lashed through it—low, true, and devastating—to level the match and electrify the home crowd.

Key match stats at a glance

• Possession: Surinam ~64% | Guatemala ~36%

• Shots (on target): Surinam 14 (5) | Guatemala 8 (2)

• Corners: Surinam 6 | Guatemala 3

• Cards: 1–1 in bookings

Tactical takeaways for Guatemala

• Block discipline, late fatigue: The compact 4-4-2/4-5-1 hybrid contained central lanes for 85 minutes but lost height and pressure on second balls in stoppage time—the exact window Surinam exploited.

• Transitional threat is real: Óscar Santis and Lom give Guatemala a direct outlet that travels; the staff will want more support runners to convert counters into higher-value chances.

• Set-piece management: Defensive restarts improved from September, yet the scramble phases after first clearances remain a risk.

Why Surinam keeps topping the group

A spine of Europe-honed talent—athletic fullbacks, rangy midfielders, and opportunistic wide forwards—allows Surinam to maintain territorial pressure without hemorrhaging in transition. Even on a humid, stop-start pitch, they circulated with patience and trusted their shot creation to accumulate. The stoppage-time payoff felt less like luck and more like persistence meeting tired legs.

What’s next and how to watch

The window’s second game arrives quickly: Guatemala returns home for a pivotal clash, while Surinam heads back on the road. In the United States, Spanish-language coverage of this qualifying window has been carried by Universo and Peacock, with additional studio and streaming content through Telemundo Deportes. In Guatemala, Tigo Sports has offered local broadcasts. Fans should check local listings and platform apps for replays and the next live kickoff.

The big picture

For Luis Fernando Tena, this draw will sting. The plan to absorb and strike nearly yielded a season-defining away win; instead, Guatemala exits Paramaribo with the same question it carried into it: who finishes games? The path forward is still open—especially if the front line can turn transitions into two goals instead of one—but every minute now matters, because Group A is punishing late lapses and rewarding those who squeeze points out of thin air. Tonight, that was Surinam.