Suriname’s national men’s football team, known locally as Natio, has earned its second straight victory under newly appointed head coach Henk Fraser, defeating Martinique 2-1 on Monday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion. The result comes on the heels of a dramatic 3-2 away opening win over Honduras just days earlier, pushing the side to six points from two matches and delivering a dream start to its Group B campaign in Concacaf Nations League A.
From the opening kickoff, Suriname controlled the tempo of the match, holding nearly 75% of possession and dictating play throughout the first half. Despite their overwhelming territorial dominance, the side struggled to convert sustained pressure into clear-cut scoring chances, with Martinique’s organized defense holding firm to block every attacking threat. The two sides went into the halftime break locked in a goalless stalemate, leaving the home crowd waiting for the breakthrough they expected.
After the interval, Suriname retained its grip on the match, and Fraser’s tactical substitutions shifted the momentum further in his side’s favor. The changes opened up more gaps in Martinique’s backline, and Suriname finally got its reward in the 54th minute. Midfielder Justin Lonwijk slipped past the attention of Martinique’s defenders to slot home the opening goal, putting Natio up 1-0.
Suriname continued to push forward for a second goal, though Martinique began to create dangerous attacking opportunities on the counter as they chased an equalizer. The home defense weathered the early storm, however, and Natio doubled its advantage 10 minutes after the opening goal. In the 64th minute, Gyrano Kerk received a perfectly weighted through pass from Liam van Gelderen, burst between the last defender and goalkeeper, and finished coolly to extend the lead to 2-0.
Martinique refused to fold under pressure, though, and ramped up their attacking intensity in the final 25 minutes. The visitors forced a quick series of corner kicks, and capitalized on one set piece to head home a consolation goal that brought the score back to 2-1, reintroducing tension to the closing stages of the match. Suriname’s defense held firm through stoppage time, however, closing out the match to secure a second consecutive three points.
Suriname kicked off its 2026 Nations League campaign with a standout upset, claiming a 3-2 away win over Honduras in Tegucigalpa this past Friday. With Monday’s win over Martinique, Fraser’s side sit top of Group B with the maximum possible six points after two matchdays. The full group standings will not be finalized until the remaining Group B fixtures – Jamaica against Honduras and Guatemala facing El Salvador – are completed later in the window.
Natio has two remaining group matches left on its schedule, both against Guatemala. The first will be held on Friday, October 2 at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion, kicking off at 7:00 PM local time. Four days later, on Monday, October 5, Suriname will travel to Guatemala City to face Guatemala away at the Estadio Manuel Felipe Carrera, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 PM Suriname local time.
The top two teams from Group B will advance to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Nations League. They will be joined by pre-seeded quarterfinal qualifiers Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Panama, who received byes directly to the final eight round of the tournament.