Mexico post victory over Guatemala; Trinidad & Tobago tops Panama on Match Day 9
Mexico posted a victory over Guatemala, while Trinidad & Tobago topped Panama in encounters in San Luis Potosi and Ciudad de Panamá, respectively, during Match Day 9 of the CONCACAF Final Round of World Cup Qualification on Saturday evening.
Jose Francisco Fonseca scored four times, while Guillermo Franco added another for Mexico (7-1-1, 22 Points) in the 5:2 victory over Guatemala (2-5-2, 8 Points) at the Estadio Potosino Alfonso Lastras.
Meanwhile, Stern John had the only goal of the match for Trinidad & Tobago (3-5-1, 10 Points) in the 1:0 win over Panama (0-7-2, 2 Points) at the Estadio Rommel Fernández.
After a 3:0 victory over the USA (6-2-1, 19 Points) on Saturday, Costa Rica (5-3-1, 16 Points) became the third CONCACAF team to qualify directly to the 2006 FIFA World Cup” in Germany. The ticos join the tricolores and stars & stripes in the 32-team FIFA tournament.
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Mexico 5, Guatemala 2
Francisco Fonseca scored four goals as Mexico defeated Guatemala 5-2 on Saturday in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier, damaging Guatemala's chances for making the tournament.
Mexico and the United States already have qualified for the 2006 World Cup, and Costa Rica claimed the third berth Saturday by beating the Americans at home.
The fourth-place team in the region - likely Guatemala or Trinidad and Tobago - will face either Bahrain or Uzbekistan in a two-game playoff.
But Guatemala's loss in this central Mexican city handed Trinidad and Tobago a two-point advantage going into the final round Wednesday. Guatemala plays
Mexico needs draw to secure WC berth
Mexico needs only a draw Wednesday at home against Panama to secure a World Cup berth and perhaps mend its wounded pride after Saturday's 2-0 loss to the United States.
The trip to Germany next year would be Mexico's 13th appearance in the World Cup finals and fourth straight.
Sitting in last place in the six-team final round of CONCACAF qualifiying, Panama would be eliminated with a loss at Azteca Stadium and a victory by either Trinidad and Tobago or Guatemala.
The United States, which qualified for its fifth straight World Cup on Saturday, leads standings in
T&T will use momentum against Mexico
Despite the euphoria surrounding Trinidad & Tobago’s 1-0 win over Panama on Saturday, captain Dwight Yorke is already looking ahead to the clash against giants Mexico in the last match of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying final round tomorrow.
Trinidad & Tobago can guarantee themselves a place in the play offs in the Asian Confederation Zone in November once they can secure a win against the Mexicans at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain.
However, if they lose they can still progress but will have to sweat on Guatemala losing to Costa Rica in another
CONCACAF Recap: Costa Rica Clinch; Mexico, T&T Win
Costa Rica 3, USA 0
Costa Rica throttled the United States to clinch World Cup qualification at Saprissa Stadium. Paolo Wanchope cleaned up a saved shot from Tim Howard to send the Ticos into the break one goal ahead. Taylor Twellman had a first half equalizer called back for offside and later had a header saved off the line. But Ticos reserve Carlos Hernandez came off the bench to deliver two scinitillating strikes past Howard to send the Central American nation into party mode. The Americans looked imcompatible and unprepared, particularly the 3-5-2 formation
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What better way to qualify for the World Cup than by beating Mexico? Or, what better way than by beating the United States?
The archrivals get that opportunity to clinch a spot in Germany 2006 by winning tonight. Even a tie might be enough for both sides, but neither country is thinking about draws in what has become one of soccer's most heated series.
"The reason I know how special this game is, is on Sunday night, a full week before the game, I was already thinking about the game laying in bed," U.S. star Landon Donovan said.
Either side
Mexico clinch berth
Mexico clinched their fourth straight World Cup berth yesterday, routing Panama 5-0 while preventing the visitors from a single serious shot on goal.
In other North and Central American and Caribbean region qualifiers, the United States, who had already booked their spot at next year’s World Cup in Germany, played out a scoreless draw with Guatemala, while Costa Rica kept their finals hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
With two games remaining, Mexico and the United States lead the Concacaf standings on 19 points, ahead of Costa Rica with 13, Guatemala with eight
UPDATE 1-New Bolton striker Borgetti in Mexico squad
Striker Jared Borgetti was named in Mexico's squad for their World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica this month just hours after signing for English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers.
Borgetti, Mexico's joint all-time top scorer with 35 goals, signed a two-year deal with Bolton on Thursday and was presented to the British media at their Reebok Stadium on Friday.
He was included in Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe's 20-man squad, posted on the Mexican federation's official website, for the Concacaf zone qualifier at Mexico City's Azteca stadium on August 17.
The only other European-based player
U.S. beat Mexico to qualify, drama in Trinidad
The United States qualified for their fifth successive World Cup with a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Mexico on Saturday.
Trinidad & Tobago striker Stern John scored twice in the last five minutes as the Soca Warriors came from behind to beat Guatemala 3-2 to revive their hopes of a debut at the finals while Costa Rica won 3-1 in Panama.
The United States lead with 18 points and are guaranteed one of the three direct places in Germany next year after seven rounds of the final stage in the CONCACAF tournament. The United States
Canada tops Mexico in U20 women's soccer
Canada's under-20 women's soccer team continued its run towards another CONCACAF title with a 3-2 victory over host Mexico on Sunday.
Canada topped Group A and now awaits a semifinal opponent.
Kara Lang from the Vancouver Whitecaps scored seconds into the match, and captain Sophie Schmidt, also from the Whitecaps, made it 2-0 with a goal 15 minutes later.
Mexico replied in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot, and Schmidt netted her second early in the second half.
Mexico drew close again in the 74th minute, but the Canadians walked off the field
World Cup berth assured for U.S.-Mexico winner
What suspense remains in the CONCACAF Region's World Cup qualifying tournament should be drastically reduced in the next week.
The winner of Saturday's United States-Mexico match will claim one of the region's three spots in next year's World Cup finals in Germany, and Mexico (5-0-1) needs only a tie to get in. The Americans (5-1-0), second in the six-team group, are poised for their biggest match of the year and will have rare home-field crowd support at Columbus Crew Stadium, with the game selling out 20 minutes after tickets went on sale.
Columbus also was the
