With the United States beating Cuba 1-0 on Saturday, Clemente Lisi rounds up the rest of CONCACAF qualifying.
By Clemente Lisi
NEW YORK, NY (Sept 8, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador were among the winners of CONCACAF qualifying on Saturday, while Guatemala was able to eke out a draw on the road against Trinidad & Tobago. While the US defeated Cuba 1-0 in Havana to top Group 1, Guatemala earned its first point after tying T&T on the road following a stoppage time goal.
Group 1:
Trinidad & Tobago 1, Guatemala 1
Defender Carlos Gallardo Najera’s goal in stoppage time gave Guatemala (0-1-1) a 1-1 tie against Trinidad & Tobago (1-1-0) in Port-of-Spain.
Midfielder Keon Daniel appeared to have won the game for the Soca Warriors at Hasely Crawford Stadium when he scored in the 84th minute off an assist by former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke. Injured for much of the summer with a broken cheekbone, Yorke, who currently plays for EPL club Sunderland, had entered the game just seconds before providing Daniel with the pass that allowed him to score.
Yorke made his first appearance for T&T since retiring after announcing his retirement from international soccer following the 2006 World Cup.
Guatemala was quick to react and was awarded an injury-time free kick. Substitute Marco Papa Ponce fired the ball low into the penalty area and Najera -- running onto the ball -- flicked a heel at it as it passed between his legs, deflecting it past T&T goalkeeper Marvin Phillip into the bottom right corner.
Group 2:
Honduras 2, Canada 1
Ramon Nunez scored twice in the second half to lead Honduras (1-0-1) to a 2-1 win over Canada (0-1-1) in Montreal.
Canada took the lead when Adrian Serioux scored after four minutes to get the crowd roaring at the Stade Saputo. Canada, who had opened qualifying play with a disappointing 1-1 tie with Jamaica last month in Toronto, created several scoring chances in the first half, but were unable to capitalize.
Nunez tied the score in the 47th minute after taking a pass from midfielder Wilson Palacios and beat goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld, who replaced Pat Onstad.
In the 56th minute, Palacios sent another centering pass and Paul Stalteri was slow to pick up Nunez, who hit a low shot from the top of the box for his second goal of the game.
Canada, who has not qualified for a World Cup since 1986, regained its composure and mounted several quality opportunities, but it wasn’t enough. Making matters worse, Canada was reduced to 10 men after midfielder Patrice Bernier was red carded in the 74th minute after disputing a foul called on him by referee Walter Quesada of Costa Rica.
Mexico 3, Jamaica 0
Mexico (2-0-0) breezed to an easy 3-0 win over Jamaica (0-1-1) in Mexico City after scoring two goals in the first half.
Andres Guardado, who plays for Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna, scored after just two minutes, converting a free kick from outside the area. Twenty minutes later, Fernando Arce tipped in a rebound off a shot by Carlos Vela to make it 2-0. In the 62nd minute, Johny Magallon scored off a corner by Guardado to give Mexico the win.
The game was moved to the Azteca Stadium after Hurricane Gustav caused problems in Jamaica.
Group 3
Costa Rica 7, Suriname 0
Costa Rica (2-0-0) thrashed Suriname (0-1-1) by handing them a 7-0 defeat in the most lopsided outcome of the day.
Playing before a hostile crowd at the fearsome Estadio Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica controlled the match from the opening whistle. Froylan Ledesma scored two goals in the first half, which also saw Suriname go down a player after Rinaldo Lupson was sent off in injury time.
In the second half, Alejandro Alpizar, Armando Alonzo, Celso Borges, Alonso Solis all scored. Brian Ruiz added goals to complete the rout.
El Salvador 5, Haiti 0
Striker Rodolfo Zelaya tallied a hat trick to lead El Salvador (1-0-1) to a 5-0 win over Haiti (0-1-1) in San Salvador. Zelaya, 20, scored the opener in the 7th minute, and six minutes later, Haitian defender Pierre Bruny was shown a red card following a vicious tackle, canceling any chance of a comeback.
Zelaya scored again in the 24th and the 53rd minute to make it 3-0. Cesar Larios added another in the 58th minute, while William Torres put the game away with 11 minutes left to play.
Clemente Lisi is the author of “A History of the World Cup: 1930-2006.” Contact him at: CAL4477@yahoo.com
