Action from the World Cup qualifier between host Antigua & Barbuda (yellow jersey) and Guatemala on September 4, 2015, in North Sound. (Photo: Thaddeus Price)
MIAMI – Only Tuesday stands between six sides from joining the top six seeds in the fourth round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Friday’s third-round, first leg encounters generated no draws, but the job is only half completed for those notching victories.
Nicaragua produced the most stunning result of the competition thus far with a 3-2 win at 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up Jamaica, while El Salvador and Haiti also won on the road. Can they seal progression at home?
The trio of Antigua & Barbuda, Canada, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines were triumphant as hosts, but can they duplicate those performances on foreign soil?
Before World Cup futures are decided, CONCACAF.com takes a look at all the match-ups:
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – CONCACAF
THIRD ROUND, SECOND LEG (SEPTEMBER 8, 2015)
ARUBA (0) v ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES (2)
Complejo Guillermo Prospero Trinidad – Oranjestad, Aruba
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-1; D-2; L-0; GF-8; GA-6
- Top Scorer: Tevin Slater (4 goals)
- Scored at 2 goals in each of 3 WCQ games
Aruba
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-1*; D-0; L-2; GF-3; GA-4
- Top Scorer: n/a
- Conceded 2 goals in each 2 losses
* 3-0 win by forfeit v Barbados on June 14, 2015, after match ended 1-0 in favor of Barbados
HAITI (3) v GRENADA (1)
Stade Sylvio Cator – Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haiti
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-1; D-0; L-0; GF-3; GA-1
- Top Scorer: Jean-Eudes Maurice, Mechack Jerome, Duckens Nazon (1 goal each)
- Duckens Nazon, 21, also scored both of Haiti’s goals during its run to the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals
Grenada
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-1; D-0; L-2; GF-3; GA-4
- Top Scorer: Jamal Charles, Anthony Straker, own-goal in favor of (1 goal each)
- Grenada lost to Puerto Rico (1-0) in the first leg of their second-round series, but advanced with a 2-0 win in the second leg
EL SALVADOR (1) v CURACAO (0)
Estadio Cuscatlan – San Salvador, El Salvador
El Salvador
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-2; D-1; L-0; GF-7; GA-3
- Top Scorer: Nelson Bonilla (3 goals)
- Conceded 1 goal or fewer in last 5 competitive games
Curacao
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-1; D-3; L-1; GF-5; GA-5
- Top Scorer: Vidarrell Merencia (2 goals)
- Conceded 1 goal or fewer in last 3 WCQ games
BELIZE (0) v CANADA (3)
FFB Stadium – Belmopan, Belize
Belize
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-2; D-2; L-1; GF-5; GA-6
- Top Scorer: Deon McCaulay (3 goals)
- Prior to 3-0 loss at Canada, conceded 3 total goals in previous 4 WCQ games
Canada
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-3; D-0; L-0; GF-9; GA-0
- Top Scorer: Tosaint Ricketts (4 goals)
- Canada has conceded only 1 goal in its last 8 matches
GUATEMALA (0) v ANTIGUA & BARBUDA (1)
Estadio Mateo Flores – Guatemala City, Guatemala
Guatemala
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-1; D-1; L-1; GF-1; GA-1
- Top Scorer: Stefano Cincotta (1 goal)
- Scored 1 goal or fewer in last 7 competitive games
Antigua & Barbuda
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-3; W-2; D-0; L-1; GF-6; GA-4
- Top Scorer: Tevaughn Harriette, Joshua Parker (2 goals each)
- Scored at least 1 goal in each of 3 previous WCQs
NICARAGUA (3) v JAMAICA (2)
Estadio Nacional – Managua, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-5; W-5; D-0; L-0; GF-15; GA-3
- Top Scorer: Carlos Chavarria, Raul Leguias (3 goals each)
- 5 players have scored 2 goals or more in 2018 WCQ
Jamaica
- 2018 WCQ Record: GP-1; W-0; D-0; L-1; GF-2; GA-3
- Top Scorer: Adrian Mariappa, Darren Mattocks (1 goal each)
- Darren Mattocks has scored in Jamaica’s last 3 competitive games: 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal v USA; 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final v Mexico; 2018 World Cup Qualifying, third round, first leg v Nicaragua
