Puerto Rico vs Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

Puerto Rico faces a critical match against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines on Tuesday, needing a victory to keep their slim chances of advancing to the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in CONCACAF alive, as their fate now depends on other results.

The Blue Hurricane, currently third in Group F with four points, trail the qualification spots by three points, while Saint Vincent, despite a recent win, are already eliminated from contention.

Heading into matchday three, Puerto Rico had control of their destiny with a better goal difference than El Salvador and a chance to lead the group. However, a 1-0 defeat to Suriname, with Jaden Montnor scoring in the 79th minute, has left them in a precarious position. That loss marked the first goal conceded by Charlie Trout’s side in this campaign, following a 0-0 draw against El Salvador and an impressive 8-0 thrashing of Anguilla in June 2024.

That resounding win may prove inconsequential unless Puerto Rico secures a victory on Tuesday and El Salvador drops points against Suriname. Without both outcomes, the Blue Hurricane risk another early exit, continuing their trend of failing to reach the final qualification round this century.

Their task is further complicated by a winless run in their last five matches (three draws, two losses) and a historically poor record against Saint Vincent, who won both prior encounters in the 1998 qualifiers (2-1 away and 7-0 at home).

Saint Vincent, led by Ezra Hendrickson, comes off a 6-0 rout of Anguilla, though their back-to-back losses earlier in the group stage left them with three points, four behind second place. With qualification out of reach, they’re playing for pride but can draw confidence from their recent form, winning three of their last four matches across all competitions, including three victories in their last four away games. Their only loss in that span was a 3-0 defeat to Jamaica in the Gold Cup preliminaries in March.