MIAMI.- All eight nations remaining in the Final Round of Concacaf World Cup qualification for Qatar 2022 look to close out September’s window with positive results after a hard-fought opening two matchdays over the past week.
The top two teams in the table early on in the 14-round marathon meet at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, with Panama hosting Mexico. Both are undefeated, with Mexico coming in after topping Jamaica in their opening match and beating Costa Rica on Sunday thanks to a penalty conversion from Orbelin Pineda.
Manager Gerardo Martino will still be in Mexico recovering from successful eye surgery, but his assistant Jorge Theiler already has overseen one victory and will hope for another.
Panama vs. Mexico
Mexico will feel confident if it is using history as a guide, having won 15 all-time meetings to Panama’s two -- neither of which came in World Cup qualification. Few Panama fans have forgotten Raul Jimenez’s famous bicycle kick to pull back all three points at the Estadio Azteca in October 2013, and Mexico earned a draw and a win in the 2018 cycle.
Still, Panama comes in highly motivated after a 3-0 road win against Jamaica, getting goals from Andres Andrade, Rolando Blackburn and Cecilio Waterman. The Panama attack will hope to find similar success, but will run into a staunch Mexico defense led by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and an experienced group of defenders including Nestor Araujo, Julio Dominguez and Jesus Gallardo. Luis Romo is expected to start in central midfield with Edson Alvarez unavailable.
Honduras vs. USA
Honduras also will be a host fighting against history on Wednesday, welcoming the United States. The only home win Honduras has at home over the U.S. in qualification was in 2013 when an acrobatic goal from Juan Carlos Garcia and Jerry Bengtson helped Los Catrachos to a 2-1 win. The teams met over the summer as well, with the U.S. topping Honduras 1-0 in the 2021 Concacaf Nations League semifinal to run the all-time series to 17 wins for the U.S., five for Honduras and eight draws.
Yet, the pressure is on the U.S. after starting qualification with a pair of draws. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen and attacker Gio Reyna won’t be available for the match, further adding to Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s challenge. His counterpart, Fabian Coito, made nine changes after an opening 1-1 draw with Canada and again came out with a point after a scoreless stalemate in El Salvador. The Uruguayan manager may look to blend the two squads to get the best out of his players, with midfielder Alexander Lopez his biggest injury doubt.
Canada vs. El Salvador
Another pair of teams who started the final round with a pair of draws will aim for their first wins when El Salvador pays a visit to Canada. The teams have met a dozen times in World Cup qualification, with La Selecta’s last win in Canada coming in 1992 thanks to an Oscar Antonio Ulloa double in a 3-2 win.
El Salvador is still looking for its first goal of the round, with Joaquin Rivas, Walmer Martinez and Josh Perez all finding chances, but unable to finish them off. Canada has gotten a goal in each match from Cyle Larin, the first from the spot against Honduras and the second on an assist from Alphonso Davies in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with the United States. Canada Head Coach John Herdman would like nothing more than for Larin’s hot streak to continue.
Costa Rica vs. Jamaica
Jamaica is the only team still seeking a point, and they must find it in Costa Rica’s Estadio Nacional. Only once in 12 meetings have the Reggae Boyz beaten the Ticos in qualification, and it unsurprisingly came during the 1998 cycle when Jamaica made its only trip to the World Cup. Since then, it’s six matches winless. The teams will be familiar with one another after recently having played an entertaining Gold Cup group stage match in Orlando. Costa Rica came out the winner in that contest with Bryan Ruiz getting the goal in a 1-0 triumph.
Ruiz is likely to see the field again, as is forward Joel Campbell, who still is working his way back to full fitness after coming into camp with a knock. Jamaica will lean on the attacking ability of Shamar Nicholson up top, while Damion Lowe is expected to return in the defense after being rested in the loss to Panama.
