Ticos and Americans Lead The Way
(FIFA.com)
The six surviving sides in North, Central America and the Caribbean
are just under a month away from their second outing in the
'hexagonal.' As things stand, once-mighty Mexico and Honduras can't
buy a goal or a point, while Costa Rica and USA lead the way.
FIFA.com takes a closer look at the state of play among CONCACAF's
elite as they hunt 3.5 places at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South
Africa™.
Costa Rica came out flying in their first contest, beating
much-feared neighbours Honduras 2-0 at home in San Jose. And their
reward for winning eight straight games in South Africa 2010
qualifying is a trip to Mexico's fortress Azteca on the 28th. The
difficulties of playing at the ground, over 7000 ft up in the
mountains surrounding Mexico City, are well documented, and best
illustrated by the fact that only one team has ever beaten El Tri
there. Fortunately for the visitors, that team was Costa Rica - in
the qualifying campaign for Korea/Japan 2002 - a goal from Hernan
Medford sealing the deal.
The current Tico coach, Rodrigo Kenton, took over the reins from
hero Medford at the start of the semi-final round, and has put
together an impressive and fast-moving squad, one highlighting the
country's younger practitioners like Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz and
two-goal man against Honduras Andy Furtado. Tied with the United
States in top spot, confidence is bound to be high in the Costa
Rican camp.
The US are in the driving seat after beating Mexico 2-0 in Columbus
on 11 February. The win extended the Americans' home winning streak
over their southern neighbours and arch-rivals to 11 meetings and
establishes Bob Bradley's men among the favourites to rule the
region on the road to South Africa. However, Landon Donovan and Co
will face a decidedly different kind of test on 28 March when they
head into the pressure cooker of Central America and El Salvador's
Estadio Cuscatlan.
Home advantage means everything in CONCACAF. USA have improved in
the tropical Central American sub-region, winning four and losing
three in the last ten years, but they still have a losing record
overall. San Salvador is a long way from home for the US, as
defensive stalwart Frankie Hejduk, attests. "It's not easy playing
down there," the Columbus Crew man, 34, told FIFA.com. "They'll do
everything they can to get an advantage over you."
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