Preview of Semifinal Round Day Four

After this matchday, as many as five places in the Hexagonal could be decided.  Only one match of the six can be viewed as a true six-pointer, and that's Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago.

Group A

USA vs. Cuba:  Even before the "disappearances" I didn't see Cuba offering up more than token resistance.  Who knows what will happen tomorrow, but it's up to the US team to stay focused and professional.  Time for some players to act like they want to be on the team next year.  US to win and secure a Hexagonal spot.

Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago:  The match of the round.  A small band of traveling T&T supporters, including the country's president, will travel to Guatemala City for the game.  Dwight Yorke will be there as well, without the verbal slanging between Roy Keane and Jack Warner.  Guatemala will have close to a full compliment of players, but Carlos Ruíz is nursing a knock to his knee.  I know that T&T beat Dominican Republic by nine goals on Wednesday, but their lineup is in flux and the selection policy is, as Fazeer Muhammad calls it, "backward-looking."  Needless to say that Guatemala is not the Dominican Republic, and the relative youth of the Guatemalan side should given them the victory.

Group B

Jamaica vs. Mexico:  First it was Hurricane Gustav, then it was a pack of dogs that ruined the playing surface of the National Stadium.  To top it all off, yesterday during practice there was a fight between two of the Jamaican national team players.  Fans are hoping for a more aggressive effort from the Jamaican side, but it's going to be an uphill ride.  Sven-Goran Eriksson goes on his first away trip since taking the Mexican head coaching position, and Kingston's National Stadium is a benign introduction to CONCACAF.  Mexico will want to secure qualification as soon as possible in order to give opportunities to their younger players in the last two matches of the round.  Guardado is out due to a second yellow card, so they will miss his dead-ball contributions, but the Mexicans have plenty of depth in that area.  On a pitch as bad as this one might be, that skill could come in handy.  Mexico should leave Jamaica with at least a point, and that might be enough to advance to the Hexagonal.

Honduras vs. Canada:  Poor Canada!  They have the strongest team in a number of qualifying cycles but once again landed in the most difficult of the three semifinal groups. No De Guzmán (injury) and no DeRosario or Serioux (suspension) makes their task in Honduras extremely difficult.  Honduras won't have David Suazo but they will have most of their first-choice lineup.  Canada hasn't lost by more than a goal so far, they won't get blown out in Honduras but they'll still lose.  Até Brasil.

Group C

Suriname vs. Costa Rica:  Suriname might put up a fight, but Costa Rica should win this game.  Could it be two away wins for Costa Rica?

Haiti vs. El Salvador:  Haiti has to win to stay alive, but El Salvador has never lost in Port-au-Prince.  I don't see them losing for the first time tonight.