Last time we were in North America, we blitzed through three rounds of qualifying in one episode. Particularly impressive were Martinique and Suriname, who came through all three rounds to qualify, alongside Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Honduras and El Salvador, who had all joined in later rounds.
They join the six highest-ranked North American sides for Round 4. They are USA, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Jamaica. This is the draw:
They join the six highest-ranked North American sides for Round 4. They are USA, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Jamaica. This is the draw:
Simply, the top two in each group go through, the bottom two go out. We'll cover all three groups today...
Group A (USA, Jamaica, El Salvador, Panama)
In last year's DWC qualifying, the USA humiliatingly went out at this stage, partly due to the misfortune of being drawn against a rejuvenated Canadian team. They will be desperate to get through with ease this time. They started well, beating Panama 2-0 despite a red card for Carlos Ascues. However, they weren't so lucky next time as a red card - for Bastian Schweinsteiger, in for Ascues - lead to a 3-1 defeat to Jamaica, and the USA could only draw 0-0 with El Salvador in their next game to leave them in a spot of bother halfway into the group. Jamaica lead the way with 3 wins from 3, whilst a draw between El Salvador and Panama meant both teams were in touching distance to USA.
Group A (USA, Jamaica, El Salvador, Panama)
In last year's DWC qualifying, the USA humiliatingly went out at this stage, partly due to the misfortune of being drawn against a rejuvenated Canadian team. They will be desperate to get through with ease this time. They started well, beating Panama 2-0 despite a red card for Carlos Ascues. However, they weren't so lucky next time as a red card - for Bastian Schweinsteiger, in for Ascues - lead to a 3-1 defeat to Jamaica, and the USA could only draw 0-0 with El Salvador in their next game to leave them in a spot of bother halfway into the group. Jamaica lead the way with 3 wins from 3, whilst a draw between El Salvador and Panama meant both teams were in touching distance to USA.
El Salvador's 2-0 win over Jamaica, combined with USA's 5-0 thumping of Panama, made this a three-way battle for qualification, and this was further aided as USA got revenge over Jamaica with a 2-0, whilst El Salvador beat Panama 1-0. It set up this tantalising table ahead of the final round of games:
Jamaica simply had to avoid defeat to Panama in their final game to ensure their progression, and they did so with a slightly nervy 2-1 win. This meant it was a simple equation elsewhere, where El Salvador had to beat the visiting USA. This was made more difficult by Jonathan dos Santos' long-range effort, and further goals from Carlos Vela and Gonzalo Martínez secured a 3-0 win for USA. They go through, but in a far less comfortable manner than expected.
Final table:
Final table:
Group B (Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname)
Canada, aided by new rules allowing them MLS-based players, stormed through to the last 16 in last year's DWC. They should get through here, and assuming this is a bridge too far for Suriname (ranked 193rd at the start of the campaign), this should be a shootout between two former DWC finalists in Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. And it was those two who met in the opening round of games, Costa Rica claiming a very useful 2-1 win. With Canada winning their first three games, it put the focus on the fight for 2nd. And it wasn't just a two-horse race, as Suriname drew with Trinidad & Tobago before beating Costa Rica to move into 2nd by the halfway point.
Canada, aided by new rules allowing them MLS-based players, stormed through to the last 16 in last year's DWC. They should get through here, and assuming this is a bridge too far for Suriname (ranked 193rd at the start of the campaign), this should be a shootout between two former DWC finalists in Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. And it was those two who met in the opening round of games, Costa Rica claiming a very useful 2-1 win. With Canada winning their first three games, it put the focus on the fight for 2nd. And it wasn't just a two-horse race, as Suriname drew with Trinidad & Tobago before beating Costa Rica to move into 2nd by the halfway point.
Canada beat Suriname 3-1 to confirm their easy qualification. The other two couldn't really take advantage though, as they drew 2-2 - two goals in the last 9 minutes saving Costa Rica. In the next round of games Canada continued their perfect run as they beat Costa Rica by a single goal. And as Suriname beat Trinidad & Tobago 2-0, they moved clear in 2nd with one game to go:
The good news for Costa Rica was that they faced Suriname in the final game, and any kind of win would see them through. But they couldn't manage it, drawing 0-0 - Suriname even had a penalty missed, by former Celtic man Evander Sno. In the dead rubber fixture, Canada completed a perfect group in style by thrashing the hapless Trinidad & Tobago 7-2.
Final table:
Final table:
Group C (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique)
After Suriname's heroics, Martinique will have renewed confidence that they can get through this group. Mexico are the stand-out team here, and should expect to qualify with ease. Despite labouring to a 1-1 draw with Martinique in their opening game, Mexico got into gear with wins over the other two. Honduras kept on their toes with wins over Martinique and Guatemala, who drew their match leaving them struggling at the halfway stage.
After Suriname's heroics, Martinique will have renewed confidence that they can get through this group. Mexico are the stand-out team here, and should expect to qualify with ease. Despite labouring to a 1-1 draw with Martinique in their opening game, Mexico got into gear with wins over the other two. Honduras kept on their toes with wins over Martinique and Guatemala, who drew their match leaving them struggling at the halfway stage.
Mexico overcame Martinique to secure their qualification, as Honduras beat a Guatemala. Whilst Martinique overcame a very badly-lopsided Guatemala to stay in the hunt, Honduras beat Mexico to leapfrog them to the top of the table and secure their own qualification. This means that with one round of games to go, there's little to play for:
Honduras just had to beat Martinique to secure an impressive top spot, and they did as Rony Flores scored both in a 2-0 victory. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as Mexico could only draw 0-0 with Guatemala.
Final table:
Final table:
So, going through to the final stage of North American qualifying is USA, Jamaica, Canada, Suriname, Honduras and Mexico. Whilst the big three progressed without too much drama, the other seeded teams in this round struggled, with only Jamaica getting through. Of course, the story here is that Suriname have continued their remarkable journey - from the first round to the fifth.
Next time we get another team qualifying for the DWC finals, as we see how the fourth European qualifying group pans out.
Next time we get another team qualifying for the DWC finals, as we see how the fourth European qualifying group pans out.