CONCACAF Qualifiers Matchday 11 – Preview
The fourth window of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers wraps up this Wednesday. Some teams could be virtually qualified, while others could be mathematically eliminated.
JAMAICA VS COSTA RICA
Costa Rica will face this match with high spirits after having kept Mexico at bay in the always complicated Azteca stadium. After a rocky beginning with only one victory in their first 7 games, the Ticos have been able to sail more favorable winds as the Qualifiers mature. Seven out of their current thirteen points, more than half, were won during the last three games.
Jamaica, on the other hand, has shown incapable of capitalizing the goal advantage they find in the games, as both Mexico and Panama were able to reverse the score after Jamaica scored first in their last two matches. In case of losing, Jamaica would be practically eliminated as any result between Panama and Mexico would have them booted out, only a tie between them and Mexico losing all their next matches would keep them in the race for that coveted half ticket to Qatar that the fourth spot grants.
USA VS HONDURAS
In what could be the most uneven match of the evening, the US will host Honduras in Chilly Minnesota. The US is looking to recover their confidence after the setback against Canada in Hamilton, and the last team of the qualifiers appears as a deceivingly weak contender.
Despite having lost for the first time in a World Cup qualifier against El Salvador, Honduras dominated the game and didn’t lack chances to convert. Both teams have not been too polished with the last touch, but Honduras’ defense appears decisively weaker. El Salvador could capitalize on their lack of speed in both goals, and the US plays faster than the Selecta.
Honduras however may be mentally done for, as they are the only team that is mathematically eliminated, with four games still in contention. The US however knows that if they let go of the three points at home, they could jeopardize their direct spot to Qatar.
EL SALVADOR VS CANADA
Canada shows up to the match as the uncontested leader of the octagonal, the only undefeated team, the best defense (5), the best offense (17), and they have in their all-time goalscorer Kyle Larin, the top scorer of the final round of the qualifiers (5), and the second top scorer as well in Jonathan David (4)
Impressive numbers for a team that wasn’t seeded high enough to qualify directly to the octagonal and had to beat Haiti 4-0 to access it. Not even the most enthusiastic of Canadian fans could’ve predicted a virtual qualification to Qatar with still four games to play.
El Salvador also shows up with high spirits after having scored for the first time against Honduras in World Cup qualifiers and getting the victory. They have also surpassed Jamaica by two points, and even though they would still be out of the World Cup in case of winning, beating Canada could be a game changer in the pursuit of the coveted fourth place.
MEXICO VS PANAMA
The evening wraps up with Mexico hosting Panama at the Azteca stadium without tickets on sale to the public.
The pressure is definitely mounting on Tata’s shoulders as his team hasn’t been successful in getting a solid grip on the first three direct spots to Qatar, and depending on the game against Panama, on the World Cup altogether.
A “six point match” against a Panamanian team that has shown a lot of resilience after coming from behind against Costa Rica and Jamaica. One weak point that could prove decisive is the injury of defense men Andrade, Cummings and Ariano, the latter of which substituted Cummings against Jamaica and scored the third goal.
The only silver lining for Mexico is that Panama still has to face Canada and the US, while they have games against Honduras and El Salvador.
