The top three qualifying teams – Canada, the United States and Mexico – won the 11th round of the North and Central American qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday.
Leaders Canada triumphed at home in Salvador, while the United States and Mexico, who had the same point, collected the three points at home against hosts Honduras and Panama, respectively.
Canada have remained undefeated in all 11 matches at this stage so far, so they are within arm’s length of being in the World Cup again after 1986 – when they were in the same group as the Hungarians.
There are only eight teams in the final, the third phase of the CONCACAF Zone Qualifier Series, of which the top three teams will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, and the fourth will play an alternative intercontinental qualifier. There are still three rounds left in the battle, which will take place at the end of March.
Round 11 results:
USA – Honduras 3-0 (2-0)
Mexico – Panama 1-0 (0-0)
Jamaica – Costa Rica 0-1 (0-0)
El Salvador – Canada 0-2 (0-0)
Ranking: 1. Canada 25 points, 2. United States 21 (16-7), 3. Mexico 21 (14-8), 4. Panama 17, 5. Costa Rica 16, 6. El Salvador 9, 7. Jamaica 7, 8 Honduras 3
