Thursday night’s results were not enough to clear up the Concacaf picture much, making for a tense home stretch for those still involved in the octagonal’s top 4.
As things stand, nobody has earned safety yet and five teams are vying for the top three spots for automatic World Cup bids, and someone, most likely Costa Rica or Panama, will have to settle for the playoff spot in fourth place.
Octagonal leader Canada only needed a point to clinch its spot on Thursday, but instead took its first loss of the campaign and will be without Mark-Anthony Kaye after a questionable red card suspension while hosting Jamaica on Sunday.
The U.S. men’s national team avoided a loss at the Azteca in its showdown with Mexico, but not without some setbacks. Yellow cards issued to DeAndre Yedlin and Tim Weah earned suspensions that will further limit Gregg Berhalter’s options. The Americans were already playing without Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson, but worse news hit as defender Reggie Cannon was ruled out at the last minute due to a positive Covid test.
As for Mexico, a visit to last-place and already eliminated Honduras should be a predictable victory but obviously, nothing is a given at this stage.
In Africa, the third round of qualifiers kick off and offer a mega matchup on Friday afternoon between Senegal and Egypt who saw each other recently in the Cup of Nations final. Senegal prevailed in a penalty shootout in that final, and noww Mohamed Salah and Egypt will have two legs to work with in the effort to earn some revenge along with a ticket to Qatar.
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Here are the Top 5 Matches to Watch, as well as a full rundown of This Weekend’s Soccer on TV and Online:
This Weekend’s Top 5 Matches to Watch
1. United States vs Panama – Neither side has a shred of margin for error.
2. Canada vs Jamaica – It is not likely, but it is possible that Canada’s loss on Thursday sparks a meltdown.
3. Honduras vs Mexico – There is a chance Mexico ends the weekend at the top of the Octagonal.
4. Egypt vs Senegal – This matchup ensures that one of Africa’s best teams will miss the World Cup.
5. El Salvador vs Costa Rica – The Ticos have miraculously played themselves back in to qualifying range and should be able to take care of business against already eliminated El Salvador.
This Weekend’s Soccer on TV and Online
Friday
World Cup Qualifying
11 a.m. – ESPN+ – Congo DR vs Morocco
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Cameroon vs Algeria
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Mali vs Tunisia
3:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Egypt vs Senegal
3:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Ghana vs Nigeria
7:30 p.m. – fuboTV – Argentina vs Venezuela
NWSL Challenge Cup
7:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Racing Louisville FC vs Houston Dash
7:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Washington Spirit vs NJ/NY Gotham FC
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Chicago Red Stars vs Kansas City Current
Copa Argentina
2:10 p.m. – fuboTV – Estudiantes vs Puerto Nuevo
Colombian Primera A
5 p.m. – fuboTV – Junior vs Deportivo Pasto
Men’s International Friendly
8 a.m. – ESPN+ – Latvia vs Kuwait
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Norway vs Slovakia
2 p.m. – ESPN+ – Malta vs Azerbaijan
2:15 p.m. – ESPN+ – Romania vs Greece
3:15 p.m. – ESPN+ – Luxembourg vs Northern Ireland
3:45 p.m. – ESPN+ – Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Georgia
3:45 p.m. – ESPN+ – San Marino vs Lithuania
4:15 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV, TUDN USA – France vs Côte d’Ivoire
MLS Next Pro
8 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – St. Louis City II vs Rochester New York
Saturday
Major League Soccer
5 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA, UniMás – Charlotte FC vs FC Cincinnati
6 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA, UniMás – Sporting Kansas City vs Real Salt Lake
Liga MX
6 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA, Univision – Pumas UNAM vs Mazatlán
NWSL Challenge Cup
4 p.m. – Paramount+ – Angel City vs OL Reign
6 p.m. – Paramount+ – North Carolina Courage vs Orlando Pride
10 p.m. – Paramount+ – San Diego Wave vs Portland Thorns
Men’s International Friendly
10 a.m. – ESPN+, fuboTV, TUDN USA – Croatia vs Slovenia
12 p.m. – ESPN+ – Finland vs Iceland
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Ireland Republic vs Belgium
1 p.m. – ESPN+ – Gibraltar vs Faroe Islands
1:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – England vs Switzerland
1:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Qatar vs Bulgaria
2:45 p.m. – ESPN+, fuboTV, TUDN USA – Spain vs Albania
3:45 p.m. – ESPN+ – Germany vs Israel
3:45 p.m. – ESPN+ – Netherlands vs Denmark
Copa Argentina
6:30 p.m. – fuboTV – Independiente vs Central Norte
Australian A-League
4:45 a.m. – ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV – Macarthur vs Melbourne City
Colombian Primera A
9:15 p.m. – fuboTV – Deportivo Pereira vs Medellín
Club Friendly
9 p.m. – fuboTV, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO – Guadalajara vs León
9 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA, UniMás – América vs Monterrey
USL Championship
4 p.m. – ESPN+ – Detroit City vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds
6 p.m. – ESPN+ – Miami FC vs Loudoun United
6 p.m. – ESPN+ – New Mexico United vs Orange County SC
6:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Birmingham Legion vs Colorado Springs
6:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Hartford Athletic
6:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Louisville City vs Indy Eleven
10 p.m. – ESPN+ – Oakland Roots vs Monterey Bay
10 p.m. – ESPN+ – Las Vegas Lights vs Memphis 901
10:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Phoenix Rising vs San Diego Loyal
MLS Next Pro
3 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Orlando City B vs Chicago Fire II
6 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Inter Miami II vs Columbus Crew II
9 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – North Texas vs Minnesota United II
9 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Houston Dynamo FC II vs Whitecaps II
Liga MX Femenil
2 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA, TUDN.com – Cruz Azul vs Atlas
Sunday
World Cup Qualifying
4:05 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV, UNIVERSO – Canada vs Jamaica
5:05 p.m. – Paramount+ – El Salvador vs Costa Rica
7 p.m. – Fox Sports 1, fuboTV, TUDN USA – United States vs Panama
7:05 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV, Telemundo – Honduras vs Mexico
Major League Soccer
4 p.m. – ESPN, fuboTV, ESPN Deportes – Portland Timbers vs Orlando City SC
Copa Argentina
8:10 p.m. – fuboTV – Racing Club vs Gimnasia y Tiro
Colombian Primera A
8:30 p.m. – fuboTV – Deportes Tolima vs América de Cali
Liga de Expansión MX
2 p.m. – fuboTV, TUDN USA – Atlético Morelia vs Leones Negros UdeG
USL Championship
5 p.m. – ESPN+ – Sacramento Republic vs FC Tulsa
7:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Atlanta United II vs Charleston Battery
7:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Rio Grande Valley vs San Antonio
MLS Next Pro
2 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Philadelphia Union II vs FC Cincinnati II
3 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Tacoma Defiance vs Real Monarchs
5 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – New York City II vs New England II
6 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Colorado Rapids II vs Sporting Kansas City II