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CONCACAF World Cup qualifying: A Look Ahead

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photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

While the U.S. men's national team will be trying to avoid falling further behind Jamaica in Group A on Tuesday, 10 other CONCACAF teams will be looking to improve their chances of reaching the Hexagonal round of qualiyfing in what are sure to be intense and intriguing matches.

Costa Rica are a team in need of three points after having lost at home to Mexico in the last set of games. But they have a daunting task ahead of them, as they head into Estadio Azteca to take on El Tri in a pivotal Group B match-up that could see Mexico become the first team to punch their ticket to the Hex.

Panama are another team that could use a win so as to avoid possibly falling into third place in Group C. The Panamanians will host Canada, who beat them on Friday at BMO Field courtesy of a Dwayne De Rosario goal, and a revenge win would put them back in the top spot in the group.

Here is a full rundown of Tuesday's CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers:

Group A

Antigua and Barbuda vs. Guatemala

United States vs. Jamaica

Group B

Guyana vs. El Salvador

Mexico vs. Costa Rica

Group C

Panama vs. Canada

Honduras vs. Cuba

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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Mexico clinching their spot in the Hex, or will Costa Rica bounce back with an upset win? How do you see Canada doing in Panama?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Jamaica will no doubt bunker for the draw, which would be a fantastic result for them. 8 pts keeps them at the top of the table and 11 would see them through.

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  2. Good thing second place advances just the same as first. With every team having to play every other team home and away, there is no advantage to finishing top of the group from what I can tell?

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  3. Depends on our lineup. I lost a lot of faith in JK as a coach with his starting lineup of 3 DMs the other night who just sit in front of the back 4 trying to break up plays and then giving the ball away once they got it. We were always going to have no width and little opportunity to create anything going forward with those three midfielders on the field at the same time. I don’t know if I was more discouraged at seeing the lineup or more discouraged at the idea that JK was surprised at the lack of quick intelligent ball movement in our midfield after the game.

    All of that said, I think we get a W tomorrow night. But if we are not in the lead and the clock ticks past about the 70th minute, I am going to full on panic.

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  4. Odds are decent but far from a sure thing. We badly miss Bradley in midfield and Jamaica has improved. I watched the game Friday and, at times, Jamaica was passing the ball around us

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  5. What are our odds here, fellas? I didn’t see the first game in Kingston because, well, it was nearly impossible to find. What are our odds in Columbus?

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