The third round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ continued on Friday with Jamaica sending a message to all of the teams in Group B in a commanding win in Bermuda. The Reggae Boyz sit atop the group ahead of Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago, who played to a scoreless draw.
Meanwhile, Group C got going with Haiti keeping the Honduran attack in check in another goalless final, but the story of the night in the section was Nicaragua fighting back from a man and a goal down to earn a home draw against Central American power Costa Rica.
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 B
Jamaica goals: Damion Lowe (6), Renaldo Cephas (26), Kasey Palmer (58), Shamar Nicholson (90)
Jamaica’s World Cup quest got off to a great start with a decisive win away against Bermuda in North Shore Village. Steve McClaren’s men were in fine form early on, as Bermuda failed to clear a corner kick and Damion Lowe fired home for the opener.
The Reggae Boyz weren’t satisfied with just one and doubled their advantage when Renaldo Cephas surged into the Bermuda area from his own half, shook off two defenders and hammered in a shot.
Bermuda were better to start the second half and troubled the Jamaican defence, namely through Kane Crichlow, whose open look at goal forced a last-gasp block. The visitors withstood the Bermuda burst and countered with their third of the night, as Kasey Palmer struck from outside the area. Shamar Nicholson then finished things off with a powerful header off a corner kick in stoppage time.
Curaçao’s first appearance in the final stage of Concacaf qualifying began in positive fashion with a scoreless draw with Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain.
The Soca Warriors looked to jump out early and the capacity crowd thought a goal was coming when Tyrese Spicer headed toward net, only to see visiting goalkeeper Eloy Room make the save. Curaçao found their footing and after a Jeremy Antonisse attempt that sailed over the crossbar, Roshon Van Eijma’s header had to be touched over the crossbar by Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzel Smith.
Trinidad and Tobago came out flying from the half-time dressing and it took some desperate Curaçao defending on the goal-line on two occasions to keep things scoreless. One final chance fell Curaçao’s way in the final minutes through Tyrese Noslin, but his right-footed rocket skipped wide.
Group C
No goals could be found between Honduras and Haiti, as they battled to a scoreless draw in Willemstad, Curaçao.
Haiti enjoyed the better chances at the start of a scoreless first half, with Fafa Picault and Frantzdy Pierrot having the closest looks at goal. Honduras opted to probe from outside the area, but had their best spell of the first 45 right before half-time when a deep cross from Romell Quioto required a nervy clearance.
Quioto nearly broke the deadlock in the second half in spectacular fashion with a volley off a Luis Palma cross, but the ball thumped the crossbar instead to spare Haiti. It would serve as the best chance of the night, as the cagey affair between Les Grenadiers and Los Catrachos ended with a point apiece.
Nicaragua goal: Byron Bonilla (81)
Costa Rica goal: Alexis Gamboa (60)
Ten-man Nicaragua rallied to earn a hard-fought draw with Costa Rica in front of a packed house in Managua.
Costa Rica had the first big chance through Alonso Martinez, but it was snuffed out by Nicaragua goalkeeper Miguel Rodriguez. Nicaragua were unfazed, and buoyed by their home fans, they countered with speed and committed numbers forward, making things nervy for Keylor Navas and his defence.
The home side’s best look at goal in the first half came via a free-kick, with Junior Artega just missing the top left corner. Things then titled in Costa Rica’s favour, as early in the second half Jason Coronel was sent off for a tackle on Martinez, leaving the Pinoleros down a man for nearly 40 minutes.
Costa Rica took full advantage and promptly grabbed the lead when Alexis Gamboa smacked in a header off a corner kick. But Nicaragua refused to give in, and they clawed their way back on level terms when Byron Bonilla converted from the spot after a Juan Pablo Vargas foul on Ariel Arauz in the area.
What they said…
“Scoring the first goal settled us down a little bit. Credit to Bermuda, they kept playing football and kept creating their opportunities, which we had to defend very well and we did. It was a very professional performance. We talked about a clean sheet, we got that. And we move on.”
Jamaica head coach Steve McClaren
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Photos courtesy of Jamaican Football Federation, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association
