Guatemala’s national team pulled off a dramatic 4-2 comeback victory over the Dominican Republic in the second round of the CONCACAF World Cup 2026 qualifiers, electrifying fans at Estadio Cementos Progreso and keeping their World Cup dream alive.
Both teams entered the match with everything to play for: Guatemala, under coach Luis Fernando Tena, was leading Group E, while the Dominican Republic needed a win to stay in contention for the next round The game started with high intensity—Guatemala struck first in the 6th minute through Óscar Santis, but the visitors quickly turned the tables. Dorny Romero leveled in the 16th, and Heinz Mörschel put the Dominicans ahead before halftime, sending shockwaves through the home crowd.
The second half saw a different Guatemala. Tactical changes injected new energy, and defender Nicolás Samayoa equalized with a header in the 53rd minute. Then, Santis took over the match, scoring twice more in quick succession (59’ and 62’) to complete his hat-trick and seal the comeback The Dominican Republic, missing key players like Mariano Díaz and Junior Firpo, couldn’t recover.
With this win, Guatemala remains atop Group E and is on the brink of advancing to the next stage of World Cup qualifying. For the Dominican Republic, the path forward is now almost impossible—they must win their final match and hope for a series of unlikely results to keep their hopes alive.
Guatemala’s fans are already dreaming: could this be the year “La Bicolor” finally reaches their first World Cup? The next matches will decide everything.
