Jamaica, T&T's fates hang in the balance
BRIDGETOWN , Barbados , CMC – Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago could take a major step towards return trips to the FIFA World Cup, but their hopes will hang on what could prove to be a topsy-turvy night of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches on Wednesday. Though the objective for both teams is identical, their passage there will be largely different. While Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz need to win and hope that other results go in their favour in Group 2, T&T’s Soca Warriors can afford the luxury of a draw and advance, regardless of the other results in Group 1. Both teams are the only English-speaking Caribbean nations to make it to a FIFA World Cup and will need a healthy dose of luck and favour in order to repeat that feat. Though tension will be thick at the National Stadium in Kingston as Jamaica hosts Canada in a match they are heavily tipped to win, the Reggae Boyz will have their ears trained on the encounter between group leaders Mexico and Honduras in San Pedro Sula . That’s because even if Jamaica win, they will need either Mexico or Honduras to slip up badly in order to advance. The Reggae Boyz have seven points, three adrift of leaders Mexico and two behind the second placed Honduras. A win or draw will see Mexico safely through to the finals but the latter result will not favour Jamaica, even if they win in Kingston, as Honduras would get the second qualifying spot in the group. Jamaica will have to take three points from lowly Canada , without a win in the competition to date, and then hope Mexico beats Honduras . If this scenario occurs, Jamaica will move ahead of the Central Americans and claim the second qualifying spot. Mexico could miss out on their first finals since 1990 if they lose to Honduras and Jamaica rout Canada by a huge margin, and overturn Mexico ’s huge advantage on goal difference. The Mexicans have a goal difference of +4 while Jamaica has inferior goal difference of -3. If Mexico were to lose 1-0, Jamaica would need to win 7-0 to keep them out of the final round of qualifiers. With Mexico having not won in Honduras in almost 20 years, Jamaica will be hoping history conspires with them. The Reggae Boyz will also be buoyed by Mexico ’s recent patchy form which has seen them without a win in their last two matches. T&T’s road to qualification is slightly less complicated. A draw against Cuba at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain will be enough to see them through to the final round of qualifiers. In second place on eight points behind the United States who have already qualified, T&T are expected to beat the already eliminated Cuba who have lost all but one of their five matches in the campaign to date. Guatemala , on five points in third place, face the US in the other game in Denver but even if they win, a Soca Warriors draw or victory will see them eliminated. Should T&T lose outright and Guatemala win, both teams will end on eight points and goal difference will decide who goes through. Despite Cuba ’s poor form in the competition, a T&T loss is not a farfetched scenario especially after Cuba ’s 2-1 victory over Guatemala in October in the last round of qualifiers. Group 3 has already been settled, with Costa Rica and El Salvador having already qualified. Costa Rica finished unbeaten on 15 points with El Salvador second on 10 points. Haiti , with two points, and Suriname , one point, were eliminated after abysmal campaigns. CMC kp/08
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