Suriname starts with three points, three goals for and two against, while Martinique still does not add up and has a balance of one goal scored and three received. The results of this match could significantly change the fight for the first place in Group B.
The duel also represents an opportunity for Suriname to prolong its good time as a local and for Martinique to compete again after the initial setback. In Paramaribo, both will seek an outcome that changes the course of their League of Nations campaign.
Fabien Mercadal will have to find solutions after the tough debut against El Salvador. The French coach does not yet know the victory with Martinique and will seek to improve his team especially on the defensive side. Les Matinino received three goals in their first match and accumulate nine in their last five engagements. Moreover, they have not lost two consecutive matches in the Nations League group stage since 2022, a figure they will try to keep.
Henk Fraser will try to achieve two consecutive victories for the first time since his arrival in office. The coach took over Suriname after Stanley Menzo left at the end of last year and is looking to consolidate his project with another positive result. The victory over Honduras was also a response to two previous losses. Now, Fraser will have the opportunity to take advantage of the locality to keep Natio at the top of Group B and extend its good start.
Suriname has won its last two official matches against Martinique, both corresponding to the qualification for the Gold Cup played last year. In those matches, Natio managed to win 1-0 and kept his bow at zero on both occasions. The last match took place on 26 March 2025, when Suriname defeated Martinique 1-0 as a away. The recent background thus shows a balanced series in the scoreboard, but favorable to the Surinamese combined in terms of results.
Suriname’s scoring ability was demonstrated against Honduras, where Justin Lonwijk and Denzel Jubitana scored in the first half. Luis Palma’s own goal in the second half ended up completing the 3-2 for Natio. The Green Guardians have also just scored ten goals in their last five matches. His strongest result in that period was the 4-0 over El Salvador in the FIFA World Cup eliminatory on 13 November 2025.
The Caribbean team comes with difficulties to convert, as they have only scored one goal in their last three appearances in the League of Nations. Before El Salvador, Janis Antiste was responsible for deducting from the penal point to establish the final 3-1. That much meant Antiste’s first with the absolute selection in just his second appearance. However, Martinique failed to react after being disadvantaged and ended up starting this edition of the tournament empty-handed.
Martinique will not be able to count on Jonathan Varane, who was expelled during the defeat against El Salvador. The absence of the Queens Park Rangers midfielder represents a significant loss for a team that needs to regain balance in the center of the field. Among the news of the competition are Ludovic Blas, a regular in Ligue 1 with Rennes, and Kenny Lala, from Brest. Janis Antiste will also be there, who has already scored his first international goal and will seek to return to the leading role in attack.
Surinam presented two debuts with the absolute selection during the first day. Shiloh ‘t Zand was the starter in the center of the field, while Denilho Cleonise entered during the second half of the triumph against Honduras. They are joined by goalscorers Justin Lonwijk and Denzel Jubitana, who shaped an effective first half against the Hondurans. The presence of these names provides new alternatives to Fraser for this second engagement.
Suriname is coming up with better numbers recently: in its last five official matches it recorded two wins, one draw and two losses. During that stretch he scored ten goals and received eight, while in four of those matches both teams managed to score. Martinique presents a much more complicated balance, with a draw and four losses in its five recent engagements. Les Matinino only scored three goals and received nine, in addition to registering two games with more than 2.5 goals and three below that figure.
Martinique also completed its pre-meeting preparation, with a session focused on correcting the issues that left doubts in the 3-1 defeat against El Salvador. The team led by Fabien Mercadal works with the need to offer an immediate response and get their first points of the competition.
The Surinamese team held their final training session before the engagement with Martinique, with the group focused on fine-tuning the latest tactical details. The team led by Henk Fraser worked with the confidence left by the 3-2 win over Honduras on the opening day of the Nations League.
Martinique will seek to build on his visiting record against the Caribbean. In the history of the League of Nations, Les Matinino have never lost away from home to a Caribbean rival, with a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in 2019 and a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe in 2024. In addition, there is a favorable fact when they manage to open the scoreboard. Martinique’s three wins in the competition came after scoring first, and never lost a Nations League match as a visitor when he managed to score before his rival.
Suriname will have as an ally the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium of Paramaribo, a stage where he will seek to prolong his good performance in this competition. The Green Guardians have played four consecutive matches without losing as a home team in the group stage. Their last home presentation within the League of Nations ended with a resounding 5-1 victory over Guyana in the 2024-25 edition. A new positive result would allow them to reach five consecutive matches without falling into their audience.
Martinique needs to recover after starting the League of Nations with a 3-1 loss against El Salvador. Les Matinino still do not add points and arrive with the obligation to improve their production to stay in the fight within Group B. Fabien Mercadal’s team also seeks to end an international eight-game run without a win. The French coach will try to secure his first victory at the head of the national team after a difficult debut.
Suriname reached this compromise with three points after beating Honduras 3-2 in the first game. The win allowed him to get into the triple draw leading Group B and cut a streak of two consecutive losses. The group led by Henk Fraser wants to take advantage again of its local status to remain undefeated in this edition. A win or a draw would allow him to extend his streak to four matches without losing in the group stage of the competition.
Dr. Ir Stadium. Franklin Essed, formerly known as Flora Stadium and also called Frank Essed Stadium, is a multi-purpose stage located in the Flora neighborhood, in the southwestern part of Paramaribo, Suriname. It was built by the Government of Suriname to house national and international parties and is named after Surinamese politician and forest scientist Frank Essed. The stadium is used as a venue by several clubs, including Leo Victor, Cosmos, Royal ’95, Super Red Eagles and SNL, the football team of the Surinamese Armed Forces. The stadium is located next to the National Indoor Stadium, at the west end of Jaggernath Lachmonstraat. Capacity: 3,500 spectators.
The eleven players on the court will be the basis of the coach’s strategic plan, and they will seek to fulfill their role on the court. Suriname possible starting lineup: Vaessen; Van Gelderen, Denswil, Abena, Pinas; Jubitana, Klas, Paal, Margaret; Lonwijk, Vlijter. Martinique possible starting lineup: Lenogue; Lala, Voyer, Moltenis, Labonne; Mandouki, Mexique, Appin; Blas, Labeau, Antiste.
