|
This is what the hex looks like as we near the halfway
point. The results of tonight’s matches will have major bearing on how each
team feels about their qualification chances going forward.
8:00| Mexico v. Costa Rica| Estadio
Azteca| ESPN
Mexico expect three points every time they step on the field
at Azteca. The surprising thing is that they have yet to manage a home victory
in this round of qualifying, playing to scoreless draws against both Jamaica
and the US. El Tri will be looking to restore balance to the universe by
re-establishing what is typically a three-point -fortress for them. A draw or
loss would not be lethal for Mexico, but it would be a real setback considering
they have played one more game than the other teams (with the exception of floundering
Jamaica) and will be sitting out the next matchday.
Costa Rica on the other hand would be thrilled to repeat the
Azteca performances of Jamaica and the US and escape with a draw. Los Ticos
have positioned themselves well through the first four matches of the hex. They
could absorb a loss at Azteca and still be in could shape. A draw or,
Chicharito forbid, a win at Azteca would have Costa Rica sitting pretty to
cruise to World Cup qualification.
Prediction: 1-0 win for Mexico
9:00|Honduras v. Jamaica| Estadio
Tiburcio Carías Andino
This match has the makings of a wide open affair as both
teams are in desperate need of a win. Honduras have been poor on the road and
are at risk of slipping into a big hole if they drop points in this one.
Jamaica have already all but played themselves out of contention for World Cup
2014. A string of poor home results leaves the Reggae Boys on the brink of
elimination. Realistically they are a very long shot to get in at this point,
but a win would at least allow Jamaica to keep things interesting for a while
longer.
Prediction: 2-1 win for Honduras
10:00|USA v.
Panama|Century Link Field| ESPN
The US is in a good position through four games of hexagonal
play. They emerged from the toughest part of their schedule with seven points
to their name. A decent performance saw the US capture their first ever win in
Jamaica last time out. Despite that positive result there are real concerns for
the Americans heading into this game.
A head injury to Jermaine Jones and a suspension to Graham
Zusi due to yellow card accumulation mean that the US will need to scrounge for
replacements for two key players in the Jamaica win. Zusi played well on the
right side, setting up Jozy Altidore’s 30th minute goal. Jermaine
Jones was his typical self, breaking up opposition attacks in the midfield and
providing a shield to a back that has been repeatedly exposed as fragile.
The inexperienced (with one obvious exception) backline of
Beasley-Besler-Gonzalez-Evans that we are likely to see has done anything but
look solid. In the same vein, Tim Howard has been rather mediocre during this
recent stint of games. It would be nice to see a vintage Howard performance
tonight and watch him make some big saves to preserve a clean sheet (though it
would be nicer if he didn’t have to).
Joe Corona seems to be a possible candidate to replace Zusi
out on the right. Corona is a talented player who I think does have much
potential, but the fact remains that he has almost no experience on the
international stage. With Corona only having three caps to his name, it is
uncertain whether Klinsmann will have the confidence in him to choose him for
this type of game. Personally I am in favor of seeing Corona either on the
right or in the center because he brings creativity to the pitch that can help
put players like Dempsey and Altidore in scoring positions.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Geoff Cameron reprise the CM
role he took on in Jamaica tonight in place of Jones. I hope I am wrong about
that, because I hate the idea of playing five defenders at home against
inferior opposition. Nothing against Cameron, but Klinsmann needs to be more
ambitious than that in this game. As I mentioned in my previous article I would
love to see Stuart Holden in the center of the midfield for this game. He can
help the attack in a manner similar to Corona, and attacking should be the
focus of this lineup.
The success that the US will or will not have tonight really
hinges on the performances of Altidore, Bradley, and Dempsey. All three players
have been playing well recently and if they continue with their good form the
US will come out on top.
Panama remains unbeaten in the hexagonal, however it must be
noted that they have played three games at home and one at hapless Jamaica.
Panama would surely be satisfied with a draw in this game and would be thrilled
with a win. I expect to see a very defensive approach from Panama as they play
for the draw. If the US can crack the Panamanian defense the game will open up, which could be a dangerous proposition for either team.
Prediction: Altidore, Bradley, and Demspsey come through and
the US gets a 2-1 win.
No comments:
Post a Comment