The third round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ kicked off on Thursday with Suriname and Panama battling to a scoreless draw to open play in Group A, opening the door for either Guatemala or El Salvador to claim the top spot when they meet later.
How qualifying works
In the third round of Concacaf qualifying, the group winners will qualify for the FIFA World Cup, joining hosts Canada, Mexico, and the USA. Additionally, the best two runners-up will represent Concacaf in the FIFA Play-off Tournament™. In total, the Concacaf region could have up to eight teams at the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Group A
Panama and Suriname opened the group in Paramaribo with a scoreless draw in which the visitors were left to rue missed chances.
It was a nervy start from the two, with Suriname looking to use their speed and strike on the counter. Panama stayed patient in their attempts to pick the Suriname lock and came within a whisker of a breakthrough shortly before half-time when Cristian Martinez saw a goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Djevencio van der Kust.
Suriname found their stride in the second stanza and Denzel Jubitana looked set to stun the visitors, but saw his shot graze the top of the crossbar. Back came Panama and midway through the half it took the post to deny Ismael Diaz from the first goal of the night.
Panama were the stronger side in the waning minutes, testing the reflexes of Suriname No1 Etienne Vaessen, who had to make a reaction save to prevent a Jose Fajardo header from serving as the match-winner.
To come
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Photos courtesy of FEPAFUT
