Matchday four of the third round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ concluded on Tuesday, with Jamaica regaining top spot in Group B with their commanding home victory against Bermuda. The Reggae Boyz were helped by Trinidad and Tobago, who held previous leaders Curaçao to a draw in Willemstad.
Meanwhile in Group A, Panama had to dig deep to salvage a late point against Suriname, who maintain the lead in the group. Guatemala jumped ahead of El Salvador into third with a 1-0 win in San Salvador and they’re now just a point off of the section pacesetters with two matchdays remaining.
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 goal: Diaz (90+6)
Suriname goal: Margaret (21)
Ismael Diaz scored deep into stoppage time to salvage a point for Panama against Suriname in Panama City.
The visitors silenced the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, grabbing the opener on a counter-attack that saw Richonell Margaret collect a pass from Tjaronn Chery and sweep past a helpless Orlando Mosquera. Panama sought a quick equaliser, but it was Suriname who should have scored next, with Sheraldo Becker denied from close range by Mosquera. Los Canaleros needed a spark and had three golden opportunities to score before the break, but were denied by Suriname shot-stopper Etienne Vaessen.
It was all Panama in the final half-hour as they pressed for a goal, and it finally came when Diaz bundled home a cross in the sixth minute of additional time.
Guatemala goal: Santis (46)
The last time that El Salvador had lost a World Cup qualifier against Guatemala was way back in 1976 , but they had the better of the opening stanza in San Salvador. In-form forward Nathan Ordaz forced visiting keeper Nicholas Hagen into a fingertip save early on, before defender Ronald Gomez thumped a header off the bar midway through an opening period that ended scoreless.
Winless in their last four preliminaries, Guatemala’s qualification hopes received a massive boost just 40 seconds after the restart. In their first effort of the evening, the visitors struck as Antonio Lopez released Santis, who had time and space to lash home from the top of the box and stun the lively home crowd at the Estadio Cuscatlan.
A sliding goal-line clearance from Jose Morales just after the hour to deny Brayan Gil helped preserve the advantage, and a scuffed late effort from substitute Enrico Hernandez was the closest the hosts would come to restoring parity.
El Salvador’s third defeat from four matches saw them sink to the bottom of the section, while Guatemala’s first win sends them third and now just a point off pacesetters Suriname and Panama.
Group B
Curaçao goals: Gorre (19)
Trinidad and Tobago goals: Spicer (57)
Curaçao’s campaign suffered a stumble as they were held to a draw by Trinidad and Tobago in Willemstad.
Curaçao’s trademark counter-attack yielded the first of the night, as the Trinidad and Tobago defence failed to deal with a cross and Kenji Gorre gladly took advantage, curling a right-footed shot into the top right corner.
It was nearly two when Livano Comenencia struck the post with a hard shot, while at the other end Jerrin Jackie came close to stabbing home an equaliser off a corner kick. The Soca Warriors started putting the hosts on their heels in the second half, and Tyrese Spicer brought his side level when he ripped a right-footer into net.
Neither side could find a winner, though, as both will look to finish strong in the final window in November.
Jamaica goals: Leverock OG (24), De Cordova-Reid (26), Nicholson (35), Richards (74)
Jamaica returned to their goalscoring ways in dominant display in Kingston against Bermuda, who are now eliminated. Following their flat defeat in Curaçao last Friday, the Reggae Boyz rebounded nicely and mounted the pressure early and often, leading to a free-kick that was turned into the Bermuda net by Gombey Warriors captain Dante Leverock.
In the blink of an eye it was two to Jamaica, as Bobby Reid guided home a cross from Renaldo Cephas from the left. Cephas was back tormenting the Bermuda defence, and this time he crossed for Shamar Nicholson’s easy tap-in. Dejuan Richards then put the icing on the cake late in the second half with a right-footed finish.
Photos courtesy of Concacaf; Jamaican Football Federation
