MIAMI.- The final round of World Cup qualification in the Concacaf region begins on Thursday with eight teams still hoping to secure one of the region’s three direct spots to the 2022 FIFA tournament in Qatar, or the intercontinental playoff position that comes with finishing in fourth place.
Things kick off in Toronto, Canada, where home fans will be cheering on their 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup semifinalists in person for the first time in years with Canada welcoming Honduras. It’s the first time the teams have met in the final phase since USA 1994, and plenty has changed for both squads since then.
Canada boasts a talented up-and-coming generation that made it through the first two rounds of qualification unblemished. Forward Cyle Larin has seven goals throughout qualification, while Lucas Cavallini has scored five, and Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David each sitting on four. Honduras has been to a World Cup more recently than Canada, qualifying for South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, but missing out on Russia 2018.
While Alberth Elis, their second top goalscorer in the 2018 cycle (four goals), is out injured and Romell Quioto, whose six goals were the most for Los Catrachos, is in a race to be fully fit, Anthony Lozano and Rigoberto Rivas will hope to put pressure on Canada’s back line.
Panama vs. Costa Rica
It’s a Central American clash at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez as Costa Rica travels to face Panama. Each nation qualified for the World Cup in 2018 and will be eager to return.
Costa Rica will be steeled at the back by standout PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas, along with veteran center backs Oscar Duarte, Kendall Waston and Giancarlo Gonzalez competing for spots in defense, while Joel Campbell leads the attack. Campbell’s record of being the youngest-ever scorer for Costa Rica in qualification isn’t at risk, but he’d love to celebrate a goal with rising star teammates Manfred Ugalde or Jurguens Montenegro.
Panama is missing its key central defender with captain Harold Cummings injured, but there’s still plenty of experience in the squad with Anibal Godoy ready to run the midfield and Rolando Blackburn hoping to replicate his multi-goal game in the group stage of the Gold Cup.
Mexico vs. Jamaica
Mexico begins its quest to return to the World Cup for the eighth consecutive time, hosting Jamaica at the Estadio Azteca.
Head Coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s men will be aiming to not only secure qualification, but also top the group as Mexico did in the previous cycle. To do so, the Gold Cup finalists will need a good start in Mexico City.
Andres Guardado is set to add to his 41 matches in Concacaf World Cup qualification matches, which is tops all-time for El Tricolor. The team will be without their top three goalscorers from the previous cycle, with Hirving Lozano, Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela not in the current squad, so Rogelio Funes Mori will be out to win the starting FW job in his first-ever World Cup qualification match for Mexico.
Jamaica has beaten Mexico just once in 12 meetings in World Cup qualification, with a Ricardo Fuller goal good enough for a 1-0 victory in the penultimate round of qualification during the 2010 cycle. Mexico advanced from the group, though, while the Reggae Boyz were eliminated at that stage.
The Caribbean side will be seeking a standout showing from GK Andre Blake and a strong defense that will be anchored by Damion Lowe and Adrian Mariappa, and Alvas Powell and Kemar Lawrence as the potential fullbacks. They also can take heart in the fact that they won the last meeting between the teams in the 2017 Gold Cup semifinal.
El Salvador vs. USA
Former United States international Hugo Perez leads the country of his birth, El Salvador, against the one he represented on the world stage at San Salvador’s Estadio Cuscatlan. El Salvador is eager to build off a spirited 2021 Gold Cup quarterfinal finish and a successful opening two rounds of World Cup qualification in which La Selecta topped its First Round group and then rolled past Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Second Round.
History isn’t on the Salvadorans side, though, with the U.S. undefeated in their eight meetings in qualification. But El Salvador does have a good midfield core with captain Marvin Monterroza, veteran Darwin Ceren and Alex Roldan, who debuted with the national team in the Gold Cup.
Roldan’s brother and Seattle Sounders teammate Cristian will be on the other side, one of only a handful of U.S. players with experience in World Cup qualification, as Head Coach Gregg Berhalter leads a young side hoping to return to the World Cup after missing out on the 2018 tournament.
Christian Pulisic became the youngest-ever U.S. goalscorer in qualification last time around and now will attempt to add to that total, with a blend of the teams that won the inaugural Concacaf Nations League trophy in June and the Gold Cup on August 1, defeating long-time rivals Mexico in both Finals. Those players will be fighting for minutes on a team that has talent, but will be tested from the opening whistle.
