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Fight for three places in final round of World Cup qualifying comes down to last day
Jamaica will need help from Mexico to advance
11/14/2008 - Jamaica needs help from Mexico, which needs to help itself first.
Three spots in the final round of World Cup qualifying have come down to Wednesday’s last matches of CONCACAF’s semifinal phase. Mexico, Jamaica, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala will either advance -- or have to wait another four years.
The focus will be squarely on Group B where Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica remain in the running for two spots.
Honduras awaits Mexico at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, while Jamaica hosts Canada at National Stadium in Kingston.
Mexico leads with 10 points and is virtually assured of a berth in the final round. Even with a loss it could advance, thanks to a healthy goal difference. Honduras is second with nine and can clinch a berth with a win, or a draw also thanks to goal difference.
Jamaica, however, can only do so much by itself. It must beat Canada and hope Mexico defeats Honduras.
In Group A, the picture is simpler, with one remaining spot coming down to a tussle between Trinidad and Guatemala. The Soca Warriors need only a draw at home against Cuba to clinch, while Guatemala must win at the USA – something it has never done in 10 tries – and have Cuba upset Trinidad.
In other matches on Wednesday, El Salvador hosts Costa Rica, while Haiti travels to Paramaribo to face Haiti.
Mexico is winless in its last two qualifiers, losing at Jamaica 1:0 on October 11 and then drawing Canada 2:2 four days later in Edmonton. El Tri recovered somewhat by beating Ecuador in 2:1 in a friendly in Phoenix on Wednesday, but manager Sven-Goran Eriksson could use another victory to bolster confidence and quiet his critics.
Honduras will look to capitalize on the slumping form of Mexico after missing its first chance to clinch when it lost to Jamaica 1:0 its last qualifier on October 15.
Reinaldo Rueda’s side also will be looking to complete the job it failed to finish in August, when it led Mexico until the last 17 minutes but lost 2:1 in Azteca Stadium.
A Honduras win would virtually sink Jamaica, halting the Reggae Boyz’s recovery from seemingly apparent early elimination. Jamaica earned only one point from its first three matches, fired coach Rene Simoes, and since have won two straight at home under Theodore Whitmore to revive its chances.
Jamaica will need a improved performance from its first meeting against Canada in Toronto, where it was lucky to earn a 1:1 draw. But much has changed since that match with Jamaica and Canada going in opposite directions.
Despite being eliminated, Canada will be out to play the spoiler and end its disappointing qualifying campign on a positive note. Dale Mitchell’s side twice led against Mexico on October 15, despite having been ousted from qualifying four days earleir.
The chances of Guatemala joining Canada on the perennial waiting list are high.
Ramon Maradiaga’s squad squandered its chances of advancement when it managed only a 0:0 draw against Trinidad at home on October 11 and then lost to last-place Cuba at Havana.
Meanwhile, Trinidad boosted its chances with a momentum-building win over USA at home.
Guatemala may be aided by USA coach Bob Bradley’s initial choice of players, so far restricting his selection to a handful of European-based players and others domestically whose teams already have been eliminated from the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Costa Rica, El Salvador and USA already have advanced and will join the other three nations emerging from Wednesday’s play in the final round hexagonal, which begins playin March.
They won’t have to wait long to learn their schedule with the final-round draw taking place November 22 in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the lead-in to the draw for the FIFA 2009 Confederations Cup.
Fight for three places in final round of World Cup qualifying comes down to last day
Jamaica will need help from Mexico to advance
11/14/2008 - Jamaica needs help from Mexico, which needs to help itself first.
Three spots in the final round of World Cup qualifying have come down to Wednesday’s last matches of CONCACAF’s semifinal phase. Mexico, Jamaica, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala will either advance -- or have to wait another four years.
The focus will be squarely on Group B where Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica remain in the running for two spots.
Honduras awaits Mexico at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, while Jamaica hosts Canada at National Stadium in Kingston.
Mexico leads with 10 points and is virtually assured of a berth in the final round. Even with a loss it could advance, thanks to a healthy goal difference. Honduras is second with nine and can clinch a berth with a win, or a draw also thanks to goal difference.
Jamaica, however, can only do so much by itself. It must beat Canada and hope Mexico defeats Honduras.
In Group A, the picture is simpler, with one remaining spot coming down to a tussle between Trinidad and Guatemala. The Soca Warriors need only a draw at home against Cuba to clinch, while Guatemala must win at the USA – something it has never done in 10 tries – and have Cuba upset Trinidad.
In other matches on Wednesday, El Salvador hosts Costa Rica, while Haiti travels to Paramaribo to face Haiti.
Mexico is winless in its last two qualifiers, losing at Jamaica 1:0 on October 11 and then drawing Canada 2:2 four days later in Edmonton. El Tri recovered somewhat by beating Ecuador in 2:1 in a friendly in Phoenix on Wednesday, but manager Sven-Goran Eriksson could use another victory to bolster confidence and quiet his critics.
Honduras will look to capitalize on the slumping form of Mexico after missing its first chance to clinch when it lost to Jamaica 1:0 its last qualifier on October 15.
Reinaldo Rueda’s side also will be looking to complete the job it failed to finish in August, when it led Mexico until the last 17 minutes but lost 2:1 in Azteca Stadium.
A Honduras win would virtually sink Jamaica, halting the Reggae Boyz’s recovery from seemingly apparent early elimination. Jamaica earned only one point from its first three matches, fired coach Rene Simoes, and since have won two straight at home under Theodore Whitmore to revive its chances.
Jamaica will need a improved performance from its first meeting against Canada in Toronto, where it was lucky to earn a 1:1 draw. But much has changed since that match with Jamaica and Canada going in opposite directions.
Despite being eliminated, Canada will be out to play the spoiler and end its disappointing qualifying campign on a positive note. Dale Mitchell’s side twice led against Mexico on October 15, despite having been ousted from qualifying four days earleir.
The chances of Guatemala joining Canada on the perennial waiting list are high.
Ramon Maradiaga’s squad squandered its chances of advancement when it managed only a 0:0 draw against Trinidad at home on October 11 and then lost to last-place Cuba at Havana.
Meanwhile, Trinidad boosted its chances with a momentum-building win over USA at home.
Guatemala may be aided by USA coach Bob Bradley’s initial choice of players, so far restricting his selection to a handful of European-based players and others domestically whose teams already have been eliminated from the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Costa Rica, El Salvador and USA already have advanced and will join the other three nations emerging from Wednesday’s play in the final round hexagonal, which begins playin March.
They won’t have to wait long to learn their schedule with the final-round draw taking place November 22 in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the lead-in to the draw for the FIFA 2009 Confederations Cup.
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