Anguilla, the small Caribbean island that went 24 years without scoring a goal, is second to last in the FIFA rankings and has taken a step closer to the 2026 World Cup

The last time the inhabitants of Eela small Caribbean island that belongs to the territory of Great Britain, had shouted a goal for a match of Qualifiers there weren’t any yet smartphones (nor obviously everything that this technological creation entails). Because of this, the penalty goal he scored on Tuesday made it 1-1 away Turks and Caicoswhich then allowed him to win the maximum penalty definition to advance to the second round of the ranking Concacaf to the World Cup 2026 It meant pure history.

Before the break, the defender Luca Parigi (who plays for Uxbrige FC in the British seventh division) scored from eleven meters and converted Anguilla’s first goal since 2000, when he got it against the Bahamas. Twenty-four years of waiting, of a repressed cry that he would not be the only one nor the last in the Caribbean night, because the best was yet to come.

In the penalty shootout the British Isle won 4-3 thanks to the final definition of Kian Duncan and unleashed a crazy celebration of the entire Anguilla delegation, to the frustration of the locals, who were thrilled to win their ticket to the second round after the 0-0 first leg.

Anguilla already knows how it will continue its journey towards the final dream of reaching a World Cup for the first time: it will have the difficult task of facing Group F against The Saviour, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname.

Even after two draws, it is the first elimination round that Anguilla has overcome, even if it still leads the second longest winless world streak by a national teambehind San Marino, which is the only team below it in the FIFA ranking made up of 210 countries.

It’s that Eel He hasn’t won an official match since 6 October 2010 since 35 meetings have passed.

“I am extremely proud of the boys and remain grateful for the work of our management team, coaches and officials. It’s so incredible that it finally happened: Anguilla’s first win in World Cup qualifying. I am speechless and honored to be part of this historic moment. I can’t wait to welcome you all home and celebrate together. We can’t wait for June,” said Girdon Connor, president of the Anguilla Football Federation.

The Virgin Islands Classic took last place

The last ticket for the second round of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, organized by the United States, Mexico and Canada, was resolved in Virgin Islands classicwhere by definition the English won against the Americans dramatic, exciting and which was also resolved on penalties.

The British Virgin Islands, ranked 207th in the FIFA rankings, then managed to progress to the next stage for the first time in history, after their first attempt against Korea and Japan in 2002.

Therefore, the British Virgin Islands will be together with group E Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala AND Dominica.

The rest of the groups in the Concacaf Qualifiers

Group A: Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Honduras.

Group B: Bahamas, Costa Rica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago.

Group C: Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Haiti, Saint Lucia.

Group D: Belize, Guyana, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama.

Four matches will be played between June 2024 and June 2025, so that the top two in each group advance to the next round, where another draw will take place to divide the 12 teams into three groups of four. There will be two wheels (round trip) between September and November 2025, and the three group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup.

The two best third-place teams will advance to the intercontinental playoffs, which will include one country from each confederation of South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.