Action from the World Cup qualifier between host Canada and Honduras (white jersey) on November 13, 2015, in Vancouver. (Photo: Canada Soccer via Andrew Soong)
MIAMI – With the fifth matchday in the fourth round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be played Friday, the fate of only two of the 12 teams has been determined. Mexico previously clinched first place in Group A, while Group C’s St. Vincent & the Grenadines has been eliminated from contention.
Four other selections – Costa Rica and Panama (Group B) and Trinidad & Tobago and the United States (Group C) – can guarantee their progression with wins.
CONCACAF.com takes a look at each of the six encounters:
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – CONCACAF
FOURTH ROUND, MATCHDAY 5 (SEPTEMBER 2, 2016)
GROUP A
HONDURAS v CANADA
Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano – San Pedro Sula, Honduras
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: Canada 1 (Cyle Larin 38’), Honduras 0
Honduras (2nd place: 1W-1D-2L … 4GF, 5GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-1; L-2; GF-4; GA-5
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-0; L-1; GF-2; GA-2
- Goals: Alberth Elis, Oscar Garcia, Antony Lozano, Romell Quioto
- Prior to shutting out visiting El Salvador, 2-0, in last WCQ outing on March 29, 2016, conceded at least 1 goal in each of previous 3 2018 WCQs
- Participated in last 2 World Cups
- World Cup Appearances: 3 (1982, 2010, 2014)
Canada (3rd place: 1W-1D-2L … 1GF, 5GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-4; D-2; L-2; GF-11; GA-6
- 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-1; D-2; L-1; GF-3; GA-3
- Goals: Tosaint Ricketts (4); Cyle Larin (3); Tesho Akindele, Atiba Hutchinson, Will Johnnson, Russell Teibert (1)
- Shutout in 3 straight WCQ games … scored 1 goal or fewer in last 5 WCQs
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1986)
EL SALVADOR v MEXICO
Estadio Cuscatlan – San Salvador, El Salvador
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: Mexico 3 (Andres Guardado 7’; Hector Herrera 42’; Carlos Vela 64’), El Salvador 0
El Salvador (4th place: 0W-2D-2L … 2GF, 7GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-3; D-3; L-2; GF-10; GA-10
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-2; D-2; L-0; GF-7; GA-3
- Goals: Nelson Bonilla (4); Arturo Alvarez, Jonathan Barrios, Darwin Ceren, Irvin Herrera, Alexander Larin, Pablo Punyed (1)
- Conceded 2 or more goals in 3 of last 4 WCQs … posted 3 shutouts in 2018 WCQ
- World Cup Appearances: 2 (1970, 1982)
Mexico (1st place: 4W-0D-0L … 10GF, 0GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-4; D-0; L-0; GF-10; GA-0
- 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-2; D-0; L-0; GF-5; GA-0
- Goals: Jesus Corona (3); Andres Guardado (2); Jurgen Damm, Javier Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Hirving Lozano, Carlos Vela (1)
- Only team in CONCACAF WCQ with a perfect record … only team not to concede a goal … scored 2 goals or more in each of 4 2018 WCQs
- 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)
- World Cup Appearances: 15 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
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GROUP B
HAITI v COSTA RICA
Stade Sylvio Cator – Port-au-Prince, Haiti
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: Costa Rica 1 (Cristian Gamboa 29’), Haiti 0
Haiti (4th place: 0W-1D-3L … 0GF, 3GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-1; L-3; GF-6; GA-4
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; 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
- 0 goals scored in last 4 WCQs … conceded 1 goal or fewer in each of 6 2018 WCQs
- Duckens Nazon scored both of Haiti’s 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup goals
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1974)
Costa Rica (1st place: 3W-1D-0L … 7GF, 2GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-3; D-1; L-0; GF-7; GA-2
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; L-0; GF-3; GA-2
- Goals: Bryan Ruiz (2); Jhonny Acosta, Celso Borges, Cristian Gamboa, Marco Ureña, Johan Venegas (1)
- Quarterfinals, 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Champion, 2014 Central American Cup (record-extending 8th title)
- Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Conceded 1 goal or fewer in each of 4 2018 WCQs
- 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)
PANAMA v JAMAICA
Estadio Rommel Fernandez – Panama City, Panama
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: Jamaica 0, Panama 2 (Armando Cooper 43’; own-goal, Wes Morgan 52’)
Panama (2nd place: 2W-1D-1L … 4GF, 2GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-1; L-1; GF-4; GA-2
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-0; L-1; GF-2; GA-2
- Goals: Felipe Baloy, Armando Cooper, Luis Tejada, own-goal in favor of (1)
- Third Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Posted shutouts in 3 of 4 2018 WCQs … scored 1 goal or fewer in last 3 WCQs
- World Cup Appearances: 0
Jamaica (3rd place: 1W-1D-2L … 2GF, 6GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-1; L-3; GF-6; GA-9
- 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-2; D-0; L-1; GF-3; GA-3
- Goals: Darren Mattocks (2); Simon Dawkins, Clayton Donaldson, Adrian Mariappa, Je-Vaughn Watson (1)
- Runner-up, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Champion, 2014 Caribbean Cup
- Conceded 2 or more goals in 3 of 6 2018 WCQs
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (1998)
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GROUP C
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES v USA
Arnos Vale Playing Field – Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: USA 6 (Bobby Wood 11’; Fabian Johnson 29’; Jozy Altidore 31’, 74’; Geoff Cameron 51’; Gyasi Zardes 58’), St. Vincent & the Grenadines 1 (Oalex Anderson 5’)
St. Vincent & the Grenadines (4th place: 0W-0D-4L … 3GF, 19GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-1; D-2; L-5; GF-12; GA-27
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; L-2; GF-6; GA-9
- Goals: Tevin Slater (5); Oalex Anderson (3); Myron Samuel (2); Shandel Samuel, Cornelius Stewart (1)
- Tevin Slater is CONCACAF’s top scorer in 2018 WCQ (5 goals)
- Conceded 2 goals or more in 7 of 8 2018 WCQs
- World Cup Appearances: 0
USA (2nd place: 2W-1D-1L … 10GF, 3GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-2; D-1; L-1; GF-10; GA-3
- 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-0; D-1; L-1; GF-0; GA-2
- Goals: Jozy Altidore (3); Geoff Cameron (2); Clint Dempsey, Fabian Johnson, Bobby Wood, Gyasi Zardes, Graham Zusi (1)
- Fourth Place, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Michael Bradley, Geoff Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin are the only three U.S. players to play every minute of 2018 WCQ
- Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has used 24 different players in first 4 2018 WCQ matches
- World Cup Appearances: 10 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO v GUATEMALA
Hasely Crawford Stadium – Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
1st Meeting
November 13, 2015: Guatemala 1 (Carlos Mejia 90’), Trinidad & Tobago 2 (Khaleem Hyland 67’; Kenwyne Jones 80’)
Trinidad & Tobago (1st place: 3W-1D-0L … 11GF, 3GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-3; D-1; L-0; GF-11; GA-3
- 2018 WCQ Home Record: W-1; D-1; L-0; GF-6; GA-0
- Goals: Kenwyne Jones (3); Trevin Caesar, Levi Garcia (2); Sheldon Bateau, Khaleem Hyland, Joevin Jones, Kevin Molino (1)
- Quarterfinals, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Runner-up, 2014 Caribbean Cup
- 10 of 11 2018 WCQ goals scored in 2nd half
- Kenwyne Jones is only player on current to appear in a World Cup (2006)
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (2006)
Guatemala (3rd place: 2W-0D-2L … 7GF, 6GA)
- 2018 WCQ Overall Record: W-4; D-1; L-3; GF-10; GA-7
- 2018 WCQ Away Record: W-2; D-0; L-2; GF-5; GA-5
- Goals: Stefano Cincotta, Denniss Lopez, Carlos Ruiz (2); Mynor Lopez, Carlos Mejia, Rafael Morales, Gerson Tinoco (1)
- Carlos Ruiz is CONCACAF’s all-time leading WCQ scorer (32 goals)
- World Cup Appearances: 0
