Suriname thrilled fans in Paramaribo with a massive Group A victory over El Salvador on Matchday 5 of the third round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™. Panama also kept pace by extinguishing Guatemala’s hopes in a back-and-forth affair. Meanwhile, Curaçao flexed their scoring muscles in a commanding win at Bermuda, and now stand atop Group B after Jamaica were held at Trinidad and Tobago.
Elsewhere, Group C took a wild turn as Haiti edged Costa Rica and Nicaragua got their first win of the round against section leaders Honduras.
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
Suriname 4-0 El Salvador
Suriname goals: Chery pen (44), Margaret (74 & 76), Klas (83)
Suriname took a big step toward World Cup qualification by thrashing El Salvador, who are now eliminated. The hosts started knocking on the door midway through the first 45, with a Tjaronn Chery shot grazing the top of the crossbar. Chery was causing all sorts of problems for the El Salvador defence, and after he was clipped in the area, he calmly converted the penalty to give Suriname a lead.
El Salvador were desperate for a response and nearly got one from Josh Perez, who fired just wide midway through the second stanza. Instead, it was Suriname who finished the stronger, as Richonell Margaret secured the points with two goals in three minutes, first pouncing on a deflected ball to score before an easy tap-in from a Ridgeciano Haps cross. Dhoraso Klas then scored late on to cap the festivities.
Guatemala 2-3 Panama
Guatemala goals: Ordonez (69), Munoz (72)
Panama goals: Waterman (30 & 44), Fajardo (78)
Jose Fajardo’s late goal lifted Panama over Guatemala in Guatemala City. Panama remain second in the group behind Suriname on goal difference, while Guatemala are eliminated.
A scintillating atmosphere greeted the two teams and Guatemala rode their home fans to some early chances, notably Oscar Santis’ chip that bounced just wide. But it was Panama that broke the deadlock, as Cecilio Waterman wheeled around fired in a right-footer to silence the home fans. If Waterman’s first strike was top-notch, his second was even better, as he gave Los Canaleros a two-goal cushion right before the intermission with another right-footed rocket.
Guatemala weren’t about to throw in the towel and a miscue from goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera allowed Arquimides Ordonez to nod home a header. In a blink, it was level, as Rudy Munoz beat the offside trap and scored, sending the home fans into pandemonium.
Panama kept their heads though and they carved out a late winner when Fajardo polished off a counter-attack with a perfectly-placed finish.
Group B
Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago goal: Molino (85)
Jamaica goal: Cephas (53)
Kevin Molino struck late for Trinidad and Tobago to deny Jamaica victory in a Port of Spain thriller. The Reggae Boyz must now win in their qualifying finale on Tuesday at home against Curaçao to secure their second World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago meanwhile are eliminated.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Levi Garcia had the first look at goal, blazing a shot that went wide of Jamaica shot-stopper Andre Blake, followed by a Blake save of a searing Tyrese Spicer volley. Jamaica needed a spark, so they turned to the man who has provided that all throughout qualifying, with Renaldo Cephas receiving a ball on the left, leaving a defender on his backside with a devastating cut and then firing home a right-footed finish.
Trinidad and Tobago committed numbers forward in search of an equaliser and it arrived late when a bouncing ball fell perfectly for Molino to punish the Jamaican defence.
Bermuda 0-7 Curaçao
Curaçao goals: Leandro Bacuna pen (6), Juninho Bacuna (32), Paulina pen (48 & 63), Hansen (59), Martha (82), Van Eijma (90+3)
Curaçao will head to their crucial fixture in Kingston brimming with confidence after cruising past Bermuda in Hamilton. The Blue Wave only require a draw against Jamaica to qualify for their first World Cup.
An early handball from Bermuda defender Dante Leverock in the area earned Curaçao a spot kick, and Leandro Bacuna coolly converted. The other Bacuna brother Juninho then got in on the action with an exceptional shot fake before unleashing a right-footed rocket to double the margin.
Curaçao kept their foot on the gas and made it three when Jordi Paulina scored a penalty after being tripped in the area. Clinical finishes from Sontje Hansen and Paulina extended the advantage to five before Ar’jany Martha and Roshon Van Eijma capped the scoring with a free kick and a swerving, long-range strike.
Group C
Nicaragua 2-0 Honduras
Nicaragua goals: Hernandez (12), Moreno (82)
Honduras entered the penultimate Group C fixture undefeated in two rounds of qualifiers, sitting top of the section and knowing that victory against cellar dwellers Nicaragua could potentially see them qualify for the global finals.
Things came unexpectedly unstuck early on in Managua though as Jaime Moreno released Bancy Hernandez who raced through on goal and fired past Edrick Menjivar to hand Nicaragua a shock 12th minute lead.
That was the first time that the Honduras defence had been breached in the third round and the hosts came close to doubling the advantage as Hernandez whistled an effort just wide midway through the opening stanza.
Honduras made a string of attacking changes after the break to try and find a way back into things but it was the hosts that struck again late on, Junior Arteaga teeing up Moreno whose shot went in off the hand of Menjivar to seal a famous victory.
Despite the win though, results elsewhere mean that Nicaragua are eliminated while Honduras’ grip on the section summit is now held only via a superior goal differential over Haiti.
Haiti 1-0 Costa Rica
Haiti goal: Pierrot (44)
Haiti gave their World Cup hopes a huge boost with a hard-fought victory over Costa Rica in Willemstad, Curaçao.
After the teams traded chances, Haiti would strike first shortly before half-time when Ruben Providence slipped a ball across to Frantzdy Pierrot, who finished from a few yards out.
Costa Rica furiously fought back in hopes of an equaliser, but were denied by the Haitian defence in the final third, including a pair of late Manfred Ugalde efforts that forced Haiti shot-stopper Johny Placide into two stretch saves.
In the end, the spoils belonged to Les Grenadiers, who head into their finale against Nicaragua with qualification very much a possibility.
