Tight race for showpiece berths
North America’s 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifying hexagonal round robin moves beyond the halfway mark on Tuesday with only one point separating four of the six teams ahead of three key matches.
Pace-setter Costa Rica visit unbeaten Mexico while the United States will entertain undefeated Panama and winless Jamaica travel to Honduras with each of them needing a victory to boost their sagging hopes of reaching Brazil.
The Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) sends the top three teams to Brazil for the showpiece event.
The fourth-placed team will face New Zealand to decide another spot in the global football showcase.
The Costa Ricans top the table at 2-1-1 for seven points and a plus-two goal difference while the US squad has the same record and points but only a plus-one goal difference.
Mexico also stand on seven points but El Tricolores have played an extra match, winning 1-0 last Tuesday at Jamaica in a match moved forward two weeks to ease the Mexican’s schedule ahead of the Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil.
That gives Mexico a win and four draws for seven points, trailing the rival American side on most goals 4-3 but with the US squad having a match in hand.
Panama, something of a surprise with a win and three draws, are next on six points.
Honduras, at 1-2-1 for four points, and Jamaica on 0-3-2 for two need all the points possible to mount a threat.
The Hondurans have already beaten the US team and drawn with Mexico in home matches, leaving tough road trips to come.
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