Action from the World Cup qualifier between host Mexico and El Salvador (white jersey) on November 13, 2015, in Mexico City. (Photo: Mexsport)
MIAMI – The fourth round of qualifying in CONCACAF for the 2018 FIFA World Cup opened last Friday with each of the six matches producing a winner as four home and two away teams secured all three available points.
Some of the highlights included:
- Panama posting a 2-0 away win over 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up Jamaica
- Jozy Altidore netting a pair of goals in the USA’s 6-1 victory over the visiting St. Vincent & the Grenadines
- Canada remaining undefeated in 2018 WCQ play (4W-1D-0L) thanks to a 1-0 win against visiting Honduras
- Host Mexico topping El Salvador, 3-0, and extending its unbeaten streak to 13 games in Juan Carlos Osorio’s debut as head coach
Tuesday ushers in Matchday Two with many questions to be answered:
Which teams will post consecutive wins? Which teams will bounce back from losses? Who will produce outstanding individual performances?
CONCACAF.com takes a look at each of Tuesday’s encounters:
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – CONCACAF
FOURTH ROUND, MATCHDAY 2 (NOVEMBER 17, 2015)
GROUP A
HONDURAS v MEXICO
Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano – San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Honduras
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-0; D-0; L-1; GF-0; GA-1
- Participated in last 2 World Cups
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-133; W-64; D-33; L-36; GF-236; GA-146
- World Cup Appearances: 3 (1982, 2010, 2014)
Mexico
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-3; GA-0
- Goals: Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Carlos Vela (1)
- Defeated El Salvador, 3-0, in 1st match under new head coach Juan Carlos Osorio
- 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
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-160; W-103; D-33; L-24; GF-410; GA-118
- World Cup Appearances: 15 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
EL SALVADOR v CANADA
Estadio Cuscatlan – San Salvador, El Salvador
El Salvador
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-3; D-1; L-1; GF-8; GA-6
- Goals: Nelson Bonilla (3); Arturo Alvarez, Jonathan Barrios, Darwin Ceren, Irvin Herrera, Alexander Larin (1)
- Before conceding 3 goals in loss v Mexico, posted shutouts in previous 2 WCQs (both 1-0 wins v Curacao)
- Scored in previous 4 2018 WCQ outings, before being shutout by Mexico
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-135; W-63; D-26; L-46; GF-229; GA-158
- World Cup Appearances: 2 (1970, 1982)
Canada
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-4; D-1; L-0; GF-11; GA-1
- Goals: Tosaint Ricketts (4); Cyle Larin (3); Tesho Akindele, Atiba Hutchinson, Will Johnnson, Russell Teibert (1)
- Conceded 1 goal or fewer in all 5 2018 WCQs, including 4 shutouts
- Scored at least 1 goal in all 5 2018 WCQs
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-112; W-47; D-33; L-32; GF-157; GA-128
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1986)
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GROUP B
HAITI v JAMAICA
Stade Sylvio Cator – Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haiti
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-2; D-0; L-1; GF-6; GA-2
- 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, 21, scored both of Haiti’s 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup goals
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-83; W-36; D-16; L-31; GF-144; GA-116
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1974)
Jamaica
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-1; D-0; L-2; GF-4; GA-4
- Goals: Darren Mattocks (2); Simon Dawkins, Adrian Mariappa (1)
- Runner-up, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Champion, 2014 Caribbean Cup
- In 2-0 loss to Panama, Darren Mattocks saw his scoring streak in competitive matches be snapped at 4 games … 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
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-99; W-36; D-26; L-38; GF-113; GA-123
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1998)
PANAMA v COSTA RICA
Estadio Rommel Fernandez – Panama City, Panama
Panama
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-2; GA-0
- Goals: Armando Cooper, own-goal in favor of (1)
- Third Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-79; W-22; D-17; L-40; GF-90; GA-142
- World Cup Appearances: 0
Costa Rica
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-1; GA-0
- Goals: Cristian Gamboa (1)
- Quarterfinals, 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Champion, 2014 Central American (record-extending 8th title)
- Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-157; W-77; D-38; L-42; GF-271; GA-165
- World Cup Appearances: 4 (1990, 2002, 2006, 2014)
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GROUP C
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES v GUATEMALA
Arnos Vale Playing Field – Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-1; D-2; L-2; GF-10; GA-14
- Goals: Tevin Slater (5); Oalex Anderson (3); Myron Samuel, Cornelius Stewart (1)
- Tevin Slater is CONCACAF’s top scorer in 2018 WCQ (5 goals)
- 1W-1D-24L in 26 all-time games v non-Caribbean opposition … only win v non-Caribbean side came v Nicaragua, 4-1, in a WCQ on June 20, 2004
- Conceded 2 goals or more in 4 of 5 2018 WCQs
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-53; W-14; D-8; L-31; GF-72; GA-142
- World Cup Appearances: 0
Guatemala
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-2; D-1; L-2; GF-4; GA-3
- Goals: Stefano Cincotta, Denniss Lopez, Carlos Mejia, Carlos Ruiz (1)
- Carlos Ruiz is CONCACAF’s all-time leading WCQ scorer (31 goals)
- Prior to conceding 2 goals in loss v Trinidad & Tobago, allowed only 1 goal in previous 3 WCQ outings
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-117; W-46; D-30; L-41; GF-177; GA-142
- World Cup Appearances: 0
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO v USA
Hasely Crawford Stadium – Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; 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)
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-122; W-51; D-25; L-46; GF-183; GA-156
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (2006)
USA
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-6; GA-1
- Goals: Jozy Altidore (2); Geoff Cameron, Fabian Johnson, Bobby Wood, Gyasi Zardes (1)
- With win v St. Vincent & the Grenadines, extended WCQ home unbeaten streak to 28 matches (26W-2D-0L)
- 11W-2D-1L in 14 all-time WCQs v Trinidad & Tobago
- Jozy Altidore is only player on current roster to score against T&T (netted 3 goals in a 3-0 WCQ win on April 1, 2009)
- Fourth Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- All-Time WCQ Record: GP-139; W-71; D-32; L-36; GF-235; GA-166
- World Cup Appearances: 10 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
