World Cup Qualifying Final Weekend: CONCACAF Predictions!
This is it folks, the final two matchdays in CONCACAF World Cup 2010 qualifiying and it could hardly be tighter.
The U.S. sits atop the final group with 16 points, followed by Mexico with 15, Honduras with 13, Costa Rica with 12, El Salvador with eight, and Trinidad & Tobago in last with five. Only Trinidad & Tobago is eliminated from contention.
Matchday 14: Saturday, October 10th, 2009
USA at Honduras
El Salvador at Mexico
Trinidad & Tobago at Costa Rica
The top three finishers get an automatic berth to the World Cup Finals, while the fourth place finisher has to play off against the fifth place CONMEBOL (South American) finisher to earn a spot, a scenario all teams are desperate to avoid.
The good news for the U.S. is that a win in either of their last two games, or a tie against Costa Rica, or a Costa Rica loss at Trinidad & Tobago sends us through.
Mexico has the easiest path through at this point. Like the U.S., one win is enough, and their remaining two games are against the bottom finishers, and El Salvador are unlikely to win in Mexico. Even without Giovanni Dos Santos, Mexico wins and becomes the first CONCACAF qualifier.
Honduras are under a lot of pressure. They're only one point up on Costa Rica, just out of the dreaded fourth place playoff spot. Anything less than six points in the next two games means Costa Rica could pass them. They're playing very well of late, and will have their high-scoring duo of Carlos Costly and Carlos Pavon available to them.
For the United States, on the other hand, a win at Honduras isn't crucial, but a win sends the team through and avoids the pressure of having qualifying come down to the last game.
The U.S. are slightly inhibited in defense, Jay DeMerit being the notable absentee with an eye injury, and will most likely start: Bornstein - Bocanegra - Onyewu - Cherundolo/Spector. In more recent news, Clint Dempsey is also out with a shoulder injury.
As much as the U.S. would like to take care of business and be done with it, Honduras are highly motivated to win its remaining home match and Carlos & Carlos outscore the U.S. in a hard fought game.
Fourth place Costa Rica, a team in disarray having been outscored 7-0 in their last two matches, host already eliminated Trinidad & Tobago in a must-win scenario. A loss combined with an El Salvador upset of Mexico opens the door to Costa Rica failing to qualify. To avoid that, and to try and climb past Honduras into the third spot, Costa Rica must win.
After Matchday 14, the standings are:
Mexico 18
Honduras 16
USA 16
Costa Rica 15
El Salvador 8
Trinidad & Tobago 5
Matchday 15: Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Costa Rica at USA
Mexico at Trinidad & Tobago
Honduras at El Salvador
The crucial game here for everybody is the USA - Costa Rica matchup. A U.S. win puts both the U.S. and Honduras through, while a Costa Rica win would almost surely drop the U.S. into the dreaded fourth place playoff spot.
The United States have not lost or tied at home in 2010 World Cup qualifying, and they don't this time either. The U.S. get revenge for the 3-1 pasting at Rio Saprissa that occurred while playing with an experimental lineup and formation.
Mexico have already qualified, but go ahead and beat the Soca Warriors anyway.
Honduras plays a just eliminated El Salvador on the road, knowing that a win ensures automatic qualification. While keeping an eye on the USA - Costa Rica score, they go ahead and finish off Los Cuzcatlecos.
The final standings are:
Mexico 21
Honduras 19
USA 19
Costa Rica 15
El Salvador 8
Trinidad & Tobago 5
Mexico, Honduras, and the United States all claim a place at the Finals, and Costa Rica lose their playoff with Ecuador and fails to qualify. Article here:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/265862-world-cup-qualifying-final-weekend-conmebol-predictions
