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CONCACAF HEX Rewind: Panama beats Honduras to top group, Costa Rica downs Jamaica

Panama (AFP)

By VINCE MADURI

Panama leads the Hexagonal after a stunning 2-0 victory over Honduras on Tuesday in Panama City.

Forward Luis Tejeda put Panama ahead very early in the second minute of the game.  FC Dallas forward Blas Perez put the match out of reach in the 74th minute.

Panama now leads the group with five points while Costa Rica, USA and Honduras sit in second, third and fourth respectively with four points each.

COSTA RICA DEFEATS JAMAICA 2-0

Costa Rica catapulted themselves from worst in the Hex to second after defeating Jamaica 2-0 Tuesday in San Jose.

Defender Michael Umana scored the first and eventual game winning goal in the 22nd minute of the game when the former Chivas USA player collected a ricochet and slotted the ball past the goalie.

Midfielder Diego Calvo scored the insurance goal in the 81st minute.

Comments

  1. We’re second (on goal differential) according to the media inglese, with Mexico in last:

    CR (-1)
    US (-1)
    PAN (-2
    HON (-3)
    JAM (-3)
    MEX (-4)

    Reply
      • Media inglese is a way of leveling out home/away game advantages. A team is expected to win at home and tie on the road (which pretty much happens to be the goal for the HEX), and you’re docked commensurate points if you don’t. You get +2 for a win on the road. CR has a better goal diff. but I shouldn’t have mentioned it as it’s not really relevant to the scale. On the MI we’re looking pretty good, and it’s easy to see why MEX is not.

  2. Our toughest 2 tests are behind us. I worried we would be bottom of the group at this point, so I’m pretty happy with the 4 points.

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  3. Like our chances at this point. If we can get a win in Jamaica (and since they’re the weakest team in our group, very probable), we’d be on 7 points after 4 games with 4 of our last 6 games at home.

    If you use the 3 points for a win, 1 point for draw formula, then the maximum points any team should get in qualifying is 20. Using that formula, these are the number of points dropped so far and what each team has max points left

    Team Points dropped Max points Remaining home games
    Costa Rica 1 19 4
    USA 1 19 4
    Panama 2 18 3
    Honduras 3 17 3
    Jamaica 3 17 4
    Mexico 4 16 3

    One; shows you how tight things are. Two, shows you it’s gonna be a long haul. Three, shows you if a team can manage to win on the road how massive that will be.

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  4. I don’t want to take anything from Panama because they played great. Honduras just could not get the ball past them.

    But having said that, this loss was due to poor coaching and poor strategy. Honduras just passed the ball around all night from Jose to Juan to Pedro then back to Jose waiting for an opening. They weren’t attacking. This was how they played against Mexico. This strategy doesn’t work.

    Second, Wilmer Crisanto and Jose Mendoza, two young exceptionally talented defenders, are not on the team. It’s due to the ignorance of a foreign coach. The coach is from Colombia and doesn’t know the country. Most of the players are either from Olimpia or foreign teams. Crisanto and Mendoza kicked some serious butt last year. If Crisanto had been playing, Panama’s second goal would have never happened. He’s a hustler. Also Mexico’s first goal never would have happened if Crisanto was playing instead of Figueroa.

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  5. Roughly 1/3 way through the Hex, and only 3 points separates last from first. It is going to be one hell of a year. We are on a tear, however, and I expect a great summer!!

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  6. Jamaica really deserved to be in last place as they drew two game which i thing they should clearly walk away with three points. Now it’s really get tough for them. Good luck to them moving up the table.

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  7. Panama is going to be tuff you will see no cake walk there. I got them to beat mexico the next game and either tie or beat USA. Think I’m crazy watch what will happen.

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    • They’ve shown it in the Gold Cup recently. Panama is no joke. It will be a fight for the top three and even the fourth position in the Hex this year. With the collection of teams in the Hex this year, I find it hard to see New Zealand having much of a chance in the home-and-home series with the 4th place team, no matter who it is.

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    • Panama cannot be under estimated anymore, even though this is their first ever win in Hexagonal history, I think they are a solid top 3. They went to Jamaica where it is tough as nails to play and got a draw, and were ahead 2-0 vs Costa Rica before they got over confident and dropped the ball.

      Reply
  8. Crazy Hex so far…

    No home team has lost.

    US and Costa Rica are the only 2 teams not to drop a point at home yet (though both are only 1-0-0).

    Mexico is the only team to have two home matches and fail to win either (Honduras is 1-0-1 at home, Panama is 1-0-1 at home).

    Reply
    • Every Hex is a crazy Hex until at least 5 games in. Things sort out a little around then and you see who’s actually on top. Mexico being near the bottom is really the only thing that makes this crazy. US, Honduras and Panama were favorites to be top four coming in. They are the top 3. Mexico drawing twice at home is in itself crazy.

      Reply
      • Of course we will know more after 5 games than 3. But the top 5 of the Hex looks pretty even at this point. June games are set up nicely now for the US. Mex isn’t so fortunate and is looking to get some results with 2 away matches.

  9. As much as Lalas/Twellman can exaggerate for effect, I actually agree with them on this point: This is the craziest Hex ever.

    Going to be a blast leading up to Brazil. Meanwhile, Mexico tied for last place with a team that already beat them….absolutely priceless.

    Reply
      • Yea, in my jubilation, I was incorrect on the last portion of that post.

        However, the chaos of this Hex remains.

    • I hope, that as tough as this hex is this year, that the CONCACAF reps who make the WC rep the region BIG time. Mexico won the Olympics and having a solid showing by CONCACAF in the WC could be wonderful. I am getting a head of myself but not really – I think the level of the game has risen somewhat in our region.

      Tough games ahead but hopefully we find some awesome gems along the way.

      Reply

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