Martinique celebrattes its lone goal against Canada Sunday night. (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Just who is Martinique, the U.S. men’s national team opponent in Thursday night’s Grouup B encounter at the Concacaf Gold Cup?
Here are some interesting facts and figures, as compiled by U.S. Soccer.
Martinique dropped a 4-1 decision to Canada in its opening match on Sunday night.
The USA is 2-0-0 against Martinique all-time. Both meetings have come in the Gold Cup group stage.
The teams first squared off in Foxborough, Mass. during the 2003 tournament, when current USMNT general manager Brian McBride bagged a brace to propel the U.S. to a 2-0 victory and the top of Group C.
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller also recorded his 31st career shutout, tying Tony Meola for the most in USMNT history.
The U.S. last faced Martinique in the 2017 group stage, a 3-2 win in which Cristian Roldan make his international debut. After taking a 2-0 lead, Les Matinino rallied to tie things up, but Zardes teed up Jordan Morris for a late goal, his second of the night, that proved to be the game-winner.
Martinique qualified for the 2021 Gold Cup after finishing second in its Concacaf Nations League A group with an 0-1-3 record.
It’s the island’s third consecutive Gold Cup and seventh appearance overall. Martinique reached the tournament quarterfinals in 2002, the only time it’s advanced from the group stage. Overall, Martinique is 4-11-2 at the competition.
Martinique is an Overseas Department of France and not an independent country. As a result, the island is not recognized by FIFA and can only compete in Concacaf competitions.
Midfielder Daniel Hérelle’s 79 caps lead the team, while midfielder Stéphane Abaul’s nine international goals are the most of any player on the Gold Cup roster.
Eighteen players on the Martinique roster compete for six different clubs on the island, with the most, six, coming from Golden Lion.
Five players are based overseas in France (three) as well as Italy and Spain (one each).
Head coach Mario Bocaly has led Les Matinino since Dec. 2017. A native of Martinique, he’s coached for a number of clubs on his native island.
The roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Loïc Chauvet (Golden Lion; 21/0), 16-Arnaud Huyghues des Etages (Aiglon; 2/0), 23-Gilles Meslien (Golden Lion; 1/0)
DEFENDERS (7): 6-Jean-Sylvain Babin (Sporting Gijón/ESP; 14/1), 18-Samuel Camille (Olympique Valence/FRA; 5/0), 21-Sébastien Crétinoir (Samaritaine; 63/3), 4-Gérald Dondon (Club Franciscain; 16/2), 2-Junior Michalet (Golden Lion; 1/0), 15-Yann Thimon (Golden Lion; 16/1), 8-Yordan Thimon (Club Franciscain; 9/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 20-Stéphane Abaul (Club Franciscain; 57/9), 22-Romario Barthéléry (Golden Lion; 8/0), 14-Norman Grelet (Golden Lion; 2/0), 19-Daniel Hérelle (Samaritaine; 78/3), 3-Isaac Tresident (Club Colonial; 0/0), 5-Karl Vitulin (Samaritaine; 51/2)
FORWARDS (7): 17-Patrick Burner (Nîmes/FRA; 0/0), 10-Kévin Fortuné (Auxerre/FRA; 7/1), 13-Christophe Jougon (Club Franciscain; 26/1), 12-Johnny Marajo (Club Franciscain; 19/1), 7-Grégory Pastel (RC Rivière-Pilote; 17/3), 9-Enrick Reuperné (Aigion; 1/0), 11-Emmanuel Rivière (Crotone/ITA; 2/1)