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CONCACAF WCQ leaps back into action Friday

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Action from the World Cup qualifier between host Mexico and El Salvador (white jersey) on November 13, 2015, in Mexico City. (Photo: Mexsport)

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Qualifying in CONCACAF for the 2018 FIFA World Cup resumes Friday with fourth round, matchday 3 play.

Mexico and Costa Rica are the only teams to maintain perfect 2W-0D-0L records. They will look to edge closer to a place in the final round with away games at Canada and Jamaica, respectively.

CONCACAF.com takes a look at each of Friday’s encounters:

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – CONCACAF FOURTH ROUND, MATCHDAY 3 (MARCH 25, 2016)

GROUP A

CANADA v MEXICO BC Place – Vancouver, Canada

Canada (2nd place: 1W-1D-0L … 1GF, 0GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-4; D-2; L-0; GF-11; GA-1
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-3; D-0; L-0; GF-8; GA-0
  • Goals: Tosaint Ricketts (4); Cyle Larin (3); Tesho Akindele, Atiba Hutchinson, Will Johnnson, Russell Teibert (1)
  • Conceded 1 goal or fewer in all 6 2018 WCQs, including 5 shutouts
  • Scored 1 goal or fewer in last 3 2018 WCQs
  • World Cup Appearances: 1 (1982)

Mexico (1st place: 2W-0D-0L … 5GF, 0GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-0; L-0; GF-5; GA-0
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-2; GA-0
  • Goals: Jesus Corona, Jurgen Damm, Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Carlos Vela (1)
  • Currently riding a 15-game unbeaten streak in all matches (9W-6D-0L)
  • Participated in last 6 World Cups
  • Champion, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup (record-extending 7th title)
  • 2015 CONCACAF Cup winner (qualified for 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup)
  • Andres Guardado was named Golden Ball recipient at 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • World Cup Appearances: 15 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014

EL SALVADOR v HONDURAS Estadio Cuscatlan – San Salvador, El Salvador

El Salvador (3rd place: 0W-1D-1L … 0GF, 3GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-3; D-2; L-1; GF-8; GA-6
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-2; D-1; L-0; GF-5; GA-1
  • Goals: Nelson Bonilla (3); Arturo Alvarez, Jonathan Barrios, Darwin Ceren, Irvin Herrera, Alexander Larin (1)
  • Posted shutouts in 3 of last 4 2018 WCQs
  • Scored 1 goal or fewer in last 4 2018 WCQs … shutout in last 2 outings
  • World Cup Appearances: 2 (1970, 1982)

Honduras (4th place: 0W-0D-2L … 0GF, 3GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-0; D-0; L-2; GF-0; GA-3
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-0; D-0; L-1; GF-0; GA-1
  • 3W-5D-7L in last 15 games
  • Participated in last 2 World Cups
  • World Cup Appearances: 3 (1982, 2010, 2014)

GROUP B

JAMAICA v COSTA RICA National Stadium – Kingston, Jamaica

Jamaica (3rd place: 1W-0D-1L … 1GF, 2GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-0; L-2; GF-5; GA-5
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-0; D-0; L-2; GF-2; GA-5
  • Goals: Darren Mattocks (2); Simon Dawkins, Clayton Donaldson, Adrian Mariappa (1)
  • Runner-up, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Champion, 2014 Caribbean Cup
  • After scoring in his previous 4 appearances in competitive internationals, Darren Mattocks has not scored in his last 2 … he had scored in 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal v USA; 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final v Mexico; 2018 World Cup Qualifying, third round, first leg v Nicaragua; 2018 World Cup Qualifying, third round, second leg v Nicaragua
  • Wes Morgan has appeared in all 31 league games for first-place Leicester City in the English Premier League this
  • World Cup Appearances: 1 (1998)

Costa Rica (1st place: 2W-0D-0L … 3GF, 0GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-0; L-0; GF-3; GA-1
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-2; GA-1
  • Goals: Cristian Gamboa, Bryan Ruiz, Marco Ureña (1)
  • Quarterfinals, 2014 FIFA World Cup
  • Champion, 2014 Central American (record-extending 8th title)
  • Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Marco Ureña was the joint-top scorer in the 2011 Copa Centroamericana with El Salvador’s Rafael Burgos (3 goals)
  • World Cup Appearances: 4 (1990, 2002, 2006, 2014)

HAITI v PANAMA Stade Sylvio Cator – Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Haiti (4th place: 0W-0D-2L … 0GF, 2GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-0; L-2; GF-6; GA-3
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-0; L-1; GF-3; GA-1
  • Goals: Duckens Nazon (2); Kervens Belfort, Mechak Jerome, Wilde-Donald Guerrier, Jean-Eudes Maurice (1)
  • Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Third Place, 2014 Caribbean Cup
  • Duckens Nazon scored both of Haiti’s 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup goals
  • World Cup Appearances: 1 (1974)

Panama (2nd place: 1W-0D-1L … 3GF, 2GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-0; L-1; GF-3; GA-2
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-2; GA-0
  • Goals: Armando Cooper, Luis Tejada, own-goal in favor of (1)
  • Third Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • World Cup Appearances: 0

GROUP C

GUATEMALA v USA Esatdio Mateo Flores – Guatemala City, Guatemala

Guatemala (3rd place: 1W-0D-1L … 5GF, 2GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-3; D-1; L-2; GF-8; GA-3
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; L-1; GF-3; GA-2
  • Goals: Stefano Cincotta, Denniss Lopez (2); Mynor Lopez, Carlos Mejia, Carlos Ruiz, Gerson Tinoco (1)
  • Carlos Ruiz is CONCACAF’s all-time leading WCQ scorer (31 goals)
  • Conceded 1 goal or fewer in 5 of 6 2018 WCQs
  • All previous 6 2018 WCQs have been played v Caribbean sides
  • World Cup Appearances: 0

USA (1st place: 1W-1D-0L … 6GF, 1GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-1; L-0; GF-6; GA-1
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-0; D-1; L-0; GF-0; GA-0
  • Goals: Jozy Altidore (2); Geoff Cameron, Fabian Johnson, Bobby Wood, Gyasi Zardes (1)
  • 7W-5D-0L in 12 all-time WCQs v Guatemala
  • Unbeaten in last 21 games v Guatemala
  • 7 players on current roster have taken part in a WCQ match in Guatemala: Jozy Altidore, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Geoff Cameron, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Fabian Johnson
  • Clint Dempsey is USA’s all-time leading scorer v Guatemala (5 goals)
  • Fourth Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • World Cup Appearances: 10 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES v TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Arnos Vale Playing Field – Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

St. Vincent & the Grenadines (4th place: 0W-0D-2L … 1GF, 10GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-2; L-3; GF-10; GA-18
  • 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; L-1; GF-4; GA-6
  • Goals: Tevin Slater (5); Oalex Anderson (3); Myron Samuel, Cornelius Stewart (1)
  • Tevin Slater is CONCACAF’s top scorer in 2018 WCQ (5 goals)
  • Conceded 2 goals or more in 5 of 6 2018 WCQs
  • Scored 1 goal or more in 5 of 6 2018 WCQs … shutout in last game v Guatemala (0-4 home loss)
  • World Cup Appearances: 0

Trinidad & Tobago (2nd place: 1W-1D-0L … 2GF, 1GA)

  • 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-1; L-0; GF-2; GA-1
  • 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-2; GA-1
  • Goals: Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones (1)
  • Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Runner-up, 2014 Caribbean Cup
  • Kenwyne Jones is only player on current to appear in a World Cup (2006)
  • World Cup Appearances: 1 (2006)
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