Credit: Mexsport (mediotiempo.com)
Mexico 2-1 Trinidad & Tobago
Mexico suffered, their players, their coach, and their supporters alike. After Tinto's goal, did the thought go through anyone's heads, "Oh my God, could Trinidad & Tobago actually win points from this game?" But a few minutes after the restart, Kevin scored a golazo, and Azteca could exhale once more. The press reports that I've read said that Mexico dominated the match throughout. That wasn't how I viewed it, at least not during the second half. Perhaps Mexico dominated by default; they enjoyed the bulk of the possession, but were only able to convert all that possession into a few scoring opportunities. The opportunities that they did have were disrupted by their own imprecisions, as well as last-ditch defending by the T&T defenders and midfielders (especially Yorke). Mexico didn't play remotely close to their best game, and Trinidad & Tobago were brave but limited in attack. It made sense that T&T would score from a mistake, and that Mexico would score the winner off an isolated play. The break will be welcome for Mexico, who will have a couple of months to refocus before they host USA and Honduras in the second half of the Hexagonal. As for Trinidad & Tobago, they can take some comfort in their most competitive match in Azteca, but a loss is still a loss, and the Soca Warriors are running out of time.
Credit: Diez.hn
Honduras 1-0 El Salvador
The script was similar to last time -- Honduras would score an early goal, then they slowed down and let their opponent back into the game. In contrast to the match in Chicago, this time Honduras won. In contrast to previous matches between these two countries, there was no "baile". This was a "marcha". Even after the goal, Honduras were a bundle of nerves with errant passes and poorly executed runs. El Salvador were the better team in the second half, and the more aggressive throughout. The closest they came to scoring was Pacheco's free kick in the second half that Valladares pushed around his post to concede a corner. Perhaps El Salvador deserved a tie, but the Salvadoran coaching hierarchy conceded that the match was lost in the midfield.
So Honduras are back in the direct qualifying positions for South Africa, and El Salvador have shown that they won't be a soft touch in the Hexagonal. But did Rueda actually think about leaving?? What on earth for? Or was it a destabilizing tactic from outside? Honduras went through this in 2001 and ruined a golden opportunity; let's hope it doesn't happen again.
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