CONCACAF READY FOR QATAR 2022
After this week’s matches, almost all confederations have settled their respective teams for Qatar 2022, save one pending team from Europe and Asia each. Some Concacaf teams once again reignite their hopes for a good performance, while others are back at the main stage after decades of absence.
CANADA
Canada was the darling of these qualifiers and will return to a World Cup for the first time since Mexico 86. They are not so much a Cinderella story because many anticipated a good performance in the final octagonal, but few expected such a dominance from the northern nation.
Despite their last less-than-spectacular window of three games – which saw them lose away at Panama and Costa Rica, and thus losing their unbeaten record – they were able to remain first on the qualifiers table, best offense, best defense and they have the two top scorers of the qualifiers, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David, with six and five goals respectively.
Precisely these last defeats are sending Canada to the Pot 4 for the World Cup Draw. They fell to 38 down from 33 in the FIFA Ranking, leaving Tunisia (35) in the last spot of Pot 3. Despite this setback, coach John Herdman feels confident about his team, and judging by their qualifiers, Concacaf should also feel comfortable about Canada being a worthy representative of the area.
MEXICO
A lot of pressure mounted on Tata Martino’s team all throughout the Qualifiers, especially after losing against Canada and the US away. Nevertheless, Tata’s eleven were able to win key matches and when they proved unable to do so, at least they could rescue the draw.
Where the US and Canada proved unable to take any points, Mexico came through with a tight victory at Costa Rica and a draw at Panama; where Canada and the US got stuck with a draw at Kingston, Mexico rescued the three points with a comeback in the last ten minutes of the match winning 1-2 with goals by Martin and Vega.
Mexico was not spectacular but was solid enough to weather the qualifiers. Not losing at home and losing away only in the harsh climate conditions of Edmonton and Cincinnati. The US and Canada, however, clearly outperformed Mexico many times during direct matches at home and away. Mexico will have to improve substantially if they aspire to go past the group stages and beyond.
UNITED STATES
The US are back in the World Cup after 8 years of absence. Gregg Berhalter’s team saw a slow start with only two points in two games, but after a decisive victory at home against Honduras 4-1, they were continuously in the top two spots of the table.
The US pulled important victories at home against Mexico and Costa Rica, and against the now eliminated teams of Panama, Jamaica, El Salvador and Honduras, they scored 11 goals and only allowed one.
It is a dismal record on the road that relegated the US to the third spot. They only won against a weak Honduras –which lost all home games but one – and lost all their matches against qualified teams and Panama. The US have shown that they have immense talent on the pitch and they have shown capable of winning important games, but they will have to improve at Qatar because they can’t take their home advantage to the World Cup. At least not for four more years.
COSTA RICA
If the US had a slow start, Costa Rica seemed almost doomed to elimination winning only six points in the first half of the qualifiers. Panama, then fourth, almost doubled that with 11 points and headers US and Mexico had 14 points each.
Costa Rica turned things around and had an impressive second half, beating every team except Mexico at the Azteca, but rescuing a draw there. Costa Rica were able to make a stronghold out of their National Stadium, losing only to Mexico 0-1 and defeating every other team except Jamaica during their slumber at the start of the Qualifiers on matchday 3.
Now Los Ticos will face-off against New Zealand in mid June for one of the last berths to the World Cup.
