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There are only two matchdays left in CONCACAF qualifying for next year’s FIFA World Cup™. And with USA and Costa Rica already assured of two out of three automatic berths to Brazil 2014, struggling Mexico – who haven’t won in their last four games – are in a desperate bid to avoid missing out on the global showpiece for the first time since 1990. FIFA.com takes a look ahead to Friday’s penultimate showdowns in the region.
Thursday 10 October 2013
Mexico-Panama
Usually a date against relative minnows Panama at home at the Estadio Azteca would be a guaranteed three points for El Tri. But these are not ordinary times. The Mexicans have lost their last two games on the trot, including a 2-0 humbling by arch-rivals USA and an ignominious defeat to Honduras at their spiritual home in Mexico City. Now under Victor Manuel Vucetich – Mexico’s third coach of the Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign – the 14-time World Cup participants need a win to keep alive their slim hopes of securing the last direct qualifying berth or, short of that, an inter-continental play-off with New Zealand.
The new coach has, predictably, shaken up the side, turning to new men like Argentinian-born playmaker Lucas Lobos, and recalling exiled goalkeeper Guillermo Memo Ochoa, plus aging icon Rafa Marquez. The former Monterrey boss, known as King Midas for his golden touch at club level, stopped short of recalling Carlos Vela, who had a falling out with previous bosses but is playing brilliantly in La Liga with Real Sociedad. Also, Andres Guardado will not play after being left out for “tactical reasons.”
Fans at the Azteca will be hoping for more from Javier Chicharito Hernandez, who has yet to score in qualifying. Gio dos Santos has been a rare bright spot in the side, but he will need some help if the Mexicans are to dig themselves out of their hole. A first win at Azteca, where they’ve drawn three times and lost once so far, would be a step in the right direction.
Panama, under coach Julio Dely Valdes, will be no pushovers though. They are tied with Mexico on eight points and the siren song of reaching their first World Cup finals has the Canaleros’ spirits soaring. Their two wins over Mexico in this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup will also help matters. “We can get a result if we do things right,” high-flying defender Roberto Chen told FIFA.com. “Honduras have shown us that Mexico can be beaten at home.”
Other action
The other big game in the region pits Honduras against Costa Rica in an all-Central American grudge match. The Hondurans, in third place with three more points than Mexico and Panama, can claim the third and final direct qualifying ticket to Brazil should they take all three points at home against a Tico side that might take their foot off the gas with their qualification already sealed. In addition to a win, the Catrachos would also need Panama and Mexico to draw to make sure of their place with one game to go.
Friday’s third game sees top take on bottom as the sparkling USA, having already booked their passage to a seventh straight World Cup, host strugglers Jamaica in Kansas City. US coach Jurgen Klinsmann named a strong squad, though he will have to do without the services of injured Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey. And while Jamaica are still alive mathematically, their chances of stealing a place in the play-off are just about slim to none. “We have no choice but to win,” their coach Winfried Schaefer said, knowing full well the Reggae Boyz haven’t managed a victory in their previous eight games.
“We need to match Jamaica’s energy early in the game, because they have no choice but to go all out,” Kyle Beckerman, USA’s deputy for ailing Roma middle-man Bradley, told FIFA.com. “If we can do that, we should be able to get the win.”
What they’re saying
“We’ll try to win for the fans. We know we’ve not been performing well, but we’ll run ourselves into the ground to make amends. Hopefully, we’ll feel unconditional support from the Azteca too.” Guillermo Memo Ochoa is back in the Mexican squad, and he used FIFA.com to make a promise to the nerve-shredded El Tri fans ahead of their must-win clash against Panama.
CONCACAF final round Hexagonal, matchday 9
11 October
Honduras-Costa Rica
USA-Jamaica
Mexico-Panama
The standings
1. USA (16 points - Qualified)
2. Costa Rica (15 - Qualified)
3. Honduras (11)
4. Panama (8)
5. Mexico (8)
6. Jamaica (4)
Next up
15 October
Costa Rica-Mexico
Jamaica-Honduras
Panama-USA
Have your say
Can Mexico find their way back from the brink and win their first Hexagonal game at their Estadio Azteca, or will Panama shock them? Can Jamaica keep up the impossible dream, or will their hopes die in Kansas City? Click ‘add your comment’ and let us know what you think
The other big game in the region pits Honduras against Costa Rica in an all-Central American grudge match. The Hondurans, in third place with three more points than Mexico and Panama, can claim the third and final direct qualifying ticket to Brazil should they take all three points at home against a Tico side that might take their foot off the gas with their qualification already sealed. In addition to a win, the Catrachos would also need Panama and Mexico to draw to make sure of their place with one game to go.
Friday’s third game sees top take on bottom as the sparkling USA, having already booked their passage to a seventh straight World Cup, host strugglers Jamaica in Kansas City. US coach Jurgen Klinsmann named a strong squad, though he will have to do without the services of injured Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey. And while Jamaica are still alive mathematically, their chances of stealing a place in the play-off are just about slim to none. “We have no choice but to win,” their coach Winfried Schaefer said, knowing full well the Reggae Boyz haven’t managed a victory in their previous eight games.
“We need to match Jamaica’s energy early in the game, because they have no choice but to go all out,” Kyle Beckerman, USA’s deputy for ailing Roma middle-man Bradley, told FIFA.com. “If we can do that, we should be able to get the win.”
What they’re saying
“We’ll try to win for the fans. We know we’ve not been performing well, but we’ll run ourselves into the ground to make amends. Hopefully, we’ll feel unconditional support from the Azteca too.” Guillermo Memo Ochoa is back in the Mexican squad, and he used FIFA.com to make a promise to the nerve-shredded El Tri fans ahead of their must-win clash against Panama.
CONCACAF final round Hexagonal, matchday 9
11 October
Honduras-Costa Rica
USA-Jamaica
Mexico-Panama
The standings
1. USA (16 points - Qualified)
2. Costa Rica (15 - Qualified)
3. Honduras (11)
4. Panama (8)
5. Mexico (8)
6. Jamaica (4)
Next up
15 October
Costa Rica-Mexico
Jamaica-Honduras
Panama-USA
Have your say
Can Mexico find their way back from the brink and win their first Hexagonal game at their Estadio Azteca, or will Panama shock them? Can Jamaica keep up the impossible dream, or will their hopes die in Kansas City? Click ‘add your comment’ and let us know what you think
Palacios: Hondurans are hungry at home
Thursday 10 October 2013
© AFP
Honduras have their FIFA World Cup™ destiny in the palm of their hands. They are on the brink of qualifying for their second straight world finals, and a win in their penultimate CONCACAF Hexagonal contest, at home against neighbours Costa Rica on Friday, could see them through to Brazil with a game still to go (provided Mexico and Panama finish in a draw in Mexico City.)
“We know Costa Rica very well,” Stoke City midfielder Wilson Palacios said, who has emerged as the key player for Honduras in Brazil 2014 qualifying, adopting a swash-buckling creativity to match his notable physical strength and overall work-rate. “They’re a difficult opponent for us, but all of us in the team believe in ourselves and we’re going to put in some hard work as we go all-out for a win,” added the 29-year-old, who scored a solo wonder-goal – which became the talk of the region – in a recent draw with Panama.
“We know Costa Rica very well,” Stoke City midfielder Wilson Palacios said, who has emerged as the key player for Honduras in Brazil 2014 qualifying, adopting a swash-buckling creativity to match his notable physical strength and overall work-rate. “They’re a difficult opponent for us, but all of us in the team believe in ourselves and we’re going to put in some hard work as we go all-out for a win,” added the 29-year-old, who scored a solo wonder-goal – which became the talk of the region – in a recent draw with Panama.
Bragging rights are always on offer when Honduras and Costa Rica meet, with both sides having legitimate claims to being the top footballing nation in the Central American sub-region. However, Costa Rica have already booked their place at Brazil 2014 and, as such, might lack that sparkling competitive edge that saw them reach their fourth world finals with two qualifiers still to play.
Even so, the Hondurans aren’t eager to leave anything to chance. “It’s going to be a very tough game,” Added Palacios from San Pedro Sula, a venue where they beat regional giants USA in their Hexagonal opener. “Costa Rica are going to come here wanting to beat us. But, for me personally, and for the rest of the team, this is a great opportunity to give everything to qualify.”
The Hondurans are currently in third place in the six-team section with 11 points from their eight games, three more than Mexico and Panama. They are in control of their own fate, and a win at home against the Ticos would make it very difficult for them to be caught out by any of the chasing pack for the coveted third spot, which guarantees a direct ticket to Brazil. The last time the two familiar foes met in June in San Jose, Honduras came up a bit short in a tense and tight 1-0 loss, and they will surely be looking to set that to right too.
Hot form for Catrachos
The Catrachos have found a rich vein of form of late, one which culminated in last month’s dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. It was the Central Americans’ first win at the fabled old ground in Mexico City, host of two World Cup finals, and it demonstrated some of their finest qualities. Palacios stalked the midfield, effective on both the defensive and creative sides, a perfect pairing with live-wire Roger Espinoza. Up front, Carlo Costly and Jerry Bengtson both put in impressive displays for Luis Fernando Suarez’s men.
“The most important thing is that we do everything we can to get our victory,” Palacios added with an air of caution. “Then we can worry about other results,” he added, alluding to the magic draw between Mexico and Panama that would put Honduras through with a game to spare, should they win. “We know Costa Rica very well,” Palacios went on from San Pedro Sula, a notoriously intimidating venue. “They have a lot of players who play for big clubs all over the world,” he added, before sounding a warning of his own: “But this is our home.”
Palacios, who failed to deliver the goods in a disappointing stint with Tottenham Hotspur earlier in his career, has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts for his national team. Showing a subtle playmaker spark to rival his ravenous physicality, he has become the almost-elegant engine of a fast-moving, never-say-die Honduran outfit, who are looking to qualify for their third World Cup overall.
“If we keep our concentration, we will qualify for the World Cup,” Palacios added with dogged determination obvious in his voice. “At home, we should not think about losing, or giving away any points to our visitors."
Just a few short months ago, Costa Rica’s Celso Borges did not hesitate when telling FIFA.com, in an exclusive interview, that reaching the FIFA World Cup™ finals was a lifelong dream. Though the 25-year-old midfielder was aware that securing a spot at the next edition at Brazil 2014 would not be easy, his determination to achieve that goal was there for all to see.
And now, Los Ticos are one of ten national teams to have booked their ticket for the showpiece event on Brazilian soil. With two matchdays remaining, Costa Rica's 15-point tally has them in second in the six-team Hexagonal final round of North, Central America and Caribbean Zone qualifying and seven clear of fourth place – whose occupants will have to navigate the Intercontinental play-offs.
With Costa Rica still in dreamland after guaranteeing a return to FIFA's flagship event, having missed out on South Africa 2010, FIFA.com spoke to Celsinho, an instrumental figure in their recent success.
Making things right
“This feels really satisfying. More than anything, it feels almost like setting the record straight after what happened in qualifying for South Africa [2010],” said the AIK Stockholm star, part of the Tico squad edged out by Uruguay in the Intercontinental play-offs four years ago.
“I can’t say whether this is the greatest achievement of my career because it’s not over yet, but without doubt it’s one of those important landmarks that you never forget,” said Borges, who represented his country at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005 and the FIFA U-17 World Cup Canada 2007. “This achievement is the reward for all the sacrifices I’ve made: leaving my family behind to go and play in Europe, adapting to a new way of life and making all those gruelling long-distance trips.
“But the whole country is really happy because we managed to achieve a goal that we’ve had to work really hard for,” he added. Indeed, after Los Ticos took part at Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006, failing to appear at the 2010 event was a body blow to the team and their fans.
What's more, Borges believes that the road to a FIFA World Cup is now tougher than ever, thanks to overall standards rising and an ever greater level of parity among CONCACAF nations. “Everything is that much harder now, which makes qualifying an even more worthy achievement,” said the former Deportivo Saprissa man.
“You can see how every team fights so hard and that matches which used to be a foregone conclusion aren’t anymore. Nowadays you can’t afford as many mistakes because all the teams are stronger. Fortunately we’ve been consistent enough to book our place with two games to spare.”
That consistency is borne out in Los Ticos’ results in the Hexagonal, Costa Rica losing just one of eight games so far, with the fewest goals conceded (five) and the most goals scored (11). “The keys are our squad spirit and making our home stadium a real fortress,” he said.
“Winning all our home games and the 12 points that come from that gave us a really solid foundation. That’s complimented by a united, stable and healthy group of players, overseen by a coaching staff that are doing a good job.”
Next stop Brazil
Qualification now in the bag, Costa Rica will need to avoid resting on their laurels if they wish to repeat their best FIFA World Cup performance to date: reaching the Round of 16 at Italy 1990. “We’re aiming to maintain this level of intensity. We’ve not taken our foot off the pedal: whenever the squad comes together, we work very intensively,” said Borges.
“The group’s really clicked and everybody gets along well. It’d be great if we could better the feats of ’90, but that’ll be very tough,” added the player, on a campaign when Los Ticos finished second in Group C on Italian soil before being knocked out by the former Czechoslovakia.
“We’ve got a very good generation of players and we’re going to be in very good shape come next year’s World Cup,” said Borges, looking ahead to Brazil 2014. “We’re aiming to make our own slice of history,” he concluded.
Even so, the Hondurans aren’t eager to leave anything to chance. “It’s going to be a very tough game,” Added Palacios from San Pedro Sula, a venue where they beat regional giants USA in their Hexagonal opener. “Costa Rica are going to come here wanting to beat us. But, for me personally, and for the rest of the team, this is a great opportunity to give everything to qualify.”
The Hondurans are currently in third place in the six-team section with 11 points from their eight games, three more than Mexico and Panama. They are in control of their own fate, and a win at home against the Ticos would make it very difficult for them to be caught out by any of the chasing pack for the coveted third spot, which guarantees a direct ticket to Brazil. The last time the two familiar foes met in June in San Jose, Honduras came up a bit short in a tense and tight 1-0 loss, and they will surely be looking to set that to right too.
Hot form for Catrachos
The Catrachos have found a rich vein of form of late, one which culminated in last month’s dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. It was the Central Americans’ first win at the fabled old ground in Mexico City, host of two World Cup finals, and it demonstrated some of their finest qualities. Palacios stalked the midfield, effective on both the defensive and creative sides, a perfect pairing with live-wire Roger Espinoza. Up front, Carlo Costly and Jerry Bengtson both put in impressive displays for Luis Fernando Suarez’s men.
“The most important thing is that we do everything we can to get our victory,” Palacios added with an air of caution. “Then we can worry about other results,” he added, alluding to the magic draw between Mexico and Panama that would put Honduras through with a game to spare, should they win. “We know Costa Rica very well,” Palacios went on from San Pedro Sula, a notoriously intimidating venue. “They have a lot of players who play for big clubs all over the world,” he added, before sounding a warning of his own: “But this is our home.”
Palacios, who failed to deliver the goods in a disappointing stint with Tottenham Hotspur earlier in his career, has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts for his national team. Showing a subtle playmaker spark to rival his ravenous physicality, he has become the almost-elegant engine of a fast-moving, never-say-die Honduran outfit, who are looking to qualify for their third World Cup overall.
“If we keep our concentration, we will qualify for the World Cup,” Palacios added with dogged determination obvious in his voice. “At home, we should not think about losing, or giving away any points to our visitors."
Spirit of ’98 revives slim Jamaican hopes
Tuesday 8 October 2013
© Getty Images
Without a win in the final round of qualifying for next year’s FIFA World Cup™, Jamaica’s hopes of reaching the global extravaganza are slim. They face a must-win clash against in-form superpowers USA on Friday with most local fans having already written them off. Mathematically though, the last-place Reggae Boyz are still alive. And as Winfried Schaefer – the team’s second coach of the campaign – would be first to tell you, football is not played on paper, or on blackboards.
“We have to win,” the German-born coach, who has led Cameroon’s national team, Thailand and German outfit Stuttgart, told FIFA.com. “We have to win all of our matches, it is just as simple as that. There is no choice for us.” It’s a frank assessment from a no-nonsense tactician who knows just how slender are his side’s hopes of sneaking into the fourth-place position, and an inter-continental play-off with New Zealand. Even so, he insists: “I would never have taken this job if I thought there was no hope!”
The numbers tell a tale of Jamaica’s problems thus far. In their eight Hexagonal games they have scored just three times, a paltry return by any standard. They are also the only team among the competing six not to have won a game. But Schaefer, who held the reins for the side’s last two matches, has picked up a pair of points from two draws, as many points as it took his predecessor six games to reach.
“The first game against Mexico was a good performance,” Schaefer said, looking back on Jamaica’s promising opener of the final round in which some watertight defending forced a first-ever draw for the islanders at Mexico’s intimidating Estadio Azteca. But even in that great success were the seeds of future problems for the side then coached by Theodore Whitmore. Missing top-scorer Luton Shelton, fill-in forward Ryan Johnson missed a pair of golden chances that proved to be the difference between one point and three, an historic draw instead of an historic win.
The problems persisted under Whitmore, who was unable to get the team scoring. Confidence sagged and the old playing hero was sacked at the end of July. New man Schaefer, despite only having three training sessions before his first game in charge against Panama last month, was able to address some of the problems.
The problems persisted under Whitmore, who was unable to get the team scoring. Confidence sagged and the old playing hero was sacked at the end of July. New man Schaefer, despite only having three training sessions before his first game in charge against Panama last month, was able to address some of the problems.
He changed the team’s formation to take advantage of the vast amounts of speed and athleticism. He placed a firm focus on set-pieces and tried to maintain the sturdy defence built up under Whitmore. The changes worked, too, with the Jamaicans hanging on for a goalless draw on the road in Panama and then coming back from a goal down to earn a point at home against Costa Rica in Kingston. Jermaine Anderson’s late strike stunned the Ticos, who have already reached next year’s finals and are in a rich vein of form.
Still alive, improvements made
The two draws were a positive step for a Jamaican side that had little to smile about since the draw in Mexico in February. And it gave the fans back home cause for quiet confidence. Only a small pocket of supporters braved the rain in Kingston to cheer on the team against the Costa Ricans, and the ones that did were in desperate need of something to shout about.
Schaefer, having tasted the sweet fruits of change, intends to continue making changes in the run-up to the game against USA at the end of the week. He’s spent the last month running the rule over the local talent on the island in the hopes of rekindling the kind of spirit that saw the Reggae Boyz shock the region by qualifying for their only ever World Cup, in France in 1998. He’s called in no fewer than five local-based players (there were none in the line-up against Panama and Costa Rica), including the highly touted Romario 'Rom Rom' Campbell.
He’s also made the bold decision to axe some veterans and fan favourites. Goal king Luton Shelton will not make the trip to Kansas City to take on the Americans, who are in smashing form and already qualified for next year’s Brazilian adventure. Marlon King and Jermaine Beckford have also been dropped and will miss out alongside No1 goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who has a finger injury.
The two draws were a positive step for a Jamaican side that had little to smile about since the draw in Mexico in February. And it gave the fans back home cause for quiet confidence. Only a small pocket of supporters braved the rain in Kingston to cheer on the team against the Costa Ricans, and the ones that did were in desperate need of something to shout about.
Schaefer, having tasted the sweet fruits of change, intends to continue making changes in the run-up to the game against USA at the end of the week. He’s spent the last month running the rule over the local talent on the island in the hopes of rekindling the kind of spirit that saw the Reggae Boyz shock the region by qualifying for their only ever World Cup, in France in 1998. He’s called in no fewer than five local-based players (there were none in the line-up against Panama and Costa Rica), including the highly touted Romario 'Rom Rom' Campbell.
He’s also made the bold decision to axe some veterans and fan favourites. Goal king Luton Shelton will not make the trip to Kansas City to take on the Americans, who are in smashing form and already qualified for next year’s Brazilian adventure. Marlon King and Jermaine Beckford have also been dropped and will miss out alongside No1 goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who has a finger injury.
While Jamaican fans’ hopes may have taken a blow in these difficult times, a closer look at the crystal ball might give cause for cautious optimism. There are similarities now to the team that inspired the world back in 1998: a foreign coach isolating the best elements of the Caribbean game, a mixture of foreign-based and local players in the side, and a clear sense of what needs to be done. But again, football is not played on paper, it is played on a pitch, this time in Kansas City. What is needed is a win in the States, a feat Jamaica have never before achieved.
Mission accomplished for Borges, Costa Rica
Tuesday 17 September 2013
© Getty Images
And now, Los Ticos are one of ten national teams to have booked their ticket for the showpiece event on Brazilian soil. With two matchdays remaining, Costa Rica's 15-point tally has them in second in the six-team Hexagonal final round of North, Central America and Caribbean Zone qualifying and seven clear of fourth place – whose occupants will have to navigate the Intercontinental play-offs.
With Costa Rica still in dreamland after guaranteeing a return to FIFA's flagship event, having missed out on South Africa 2010, FIFA.com spoke to Celsinho, an instrumental figure in their recent success.
Making things right
“This feels really satisfying. More than anything, it feels almost like setting the record straight after what happened in qualifying for South Africa [2010],” said the AIK Stockholm star, part of the Tico squad edged out by Uruguay in the Intercontinental play-offs four years ago.
“I can’t say whether this is the greatest achievement of my career because it’s not over yet, but without doubt it’s one of those important landmarks that you never forget,” said Borges, who represented his country at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005 and the FIFA U-17 World Cup Canada 2007. “This achievement is the reward for all the sacrifices I’ve made: leaving my family behind to go and play in Europe, adapting to a new way of life and making all those gruelling long-distance trips.
“But the whole country is really happy because we managed to achieve a goal that we’ve had to work really hard for,” he added. Indeed, after Los Ticos took part at Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006, failing to appear at the 2010 event was a body blow to the team and their fans.
We’re aiming to maintain this level of intensity. We’ve not taken our foot off the pedal: whenever the squad comes together, we work very intensively.
Celso Borges, Costa Rica midfielder
“You can see how every team fights so hard and that matches which used to be a foregone conclusion aren’t anymore. Nowadays you can’t afford as many mistakes because all the teams are stronger. Fortunately we’ve been consistent enough to book our place with two games to spare.”
That consistency is borne out in Los Ticos’ results in the Hexagonal, Costa Rica losing just one of eight games so far, with the fewest goals conceded (five) and the most goals scored (11). “The keys are our squad spirit and making our home stadium a real fortress,” he said.
“Winning all our home games and the 12 points that come from that gave us a really solid foundation. That’s complimented by a united, stable and healthy group of players, overseen by a coaching staff that are doing a good job.”
Next stop Brazil
Qualification now in the bag, Costa Rica will need to avoid resting on their laurels if they wish to repeat their best FIFA World Cup performance to date: reaching the Round of 16 at Italy 1990. “We’re aiming to maintain this level of intensity. We’ve not taken our foot off the pedal: whenever the squad comes together, we work very intensively,” said Borges.
“The group’s really clicked and everybody gets along well. It’d be great if we could better the feats of ’90, but that’ll be very tough,” added the player, on a campaign when Los Ticos finished second in Group C on Italian soil before being knocked out by the former Czechoslovakia.
“We’ve got a very good generation of players and we’re going to be in very good shape come next year’s World Cup,” said Borges, looking ahead to Brazil 2014. “We’re aiming to make our own slice of history,” he concluded.
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