The Good and the Bad for Scoreless Draws in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

Two scoreless draws that impacted four teams to qualify or be eliminated from the World Cup

CONCACAF- On the final matchday of FIFA World Cup Qualifying in CONCACAF, two big matches that had important implications for certain teams to either qualify for the World Cup, the Intercontinental Playoffs, or get eliminated from the World Cup altogether. The frantic finish that all of us have been looking for finally came to fruition as the fireworks and the waterworks came in red hot

Curacao Qualifies, while Jamaica heads to the Playoffs

In Group B, the standalone game was between Jamaica & Curacao as both Bermuda and Trinidad & Tobago were eliminated from threatening either side. The winner would automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the loser would head to the intercontinental playoffs. Everything was on the line at The Office in Kingston between the Reggae Boys and the Blue Wave.

Goalkeeping clinic

The best defenders are the goalkeepers, as Andre Blake of Jamaica and Elroy Room of Curacao found multiple ways of keeping the ball out of their net and putting themselves in perfect position. No matter who attacked with the ball, both sides couldn’t beat each other’s goalkeeper, and it went down to the wire.

Jamaica was reduced to ten men

Jamaica was trying to stop Curacao from getting the goal to take the lead late in the match. Johnathan Russell fouled his man from behind, and the referee issued him his second yellow and the red card to put Jamaica down to ten men. Curacao with the numerical advantage

VAR comes into play

In second half stoppage time, Jamaica took the free kick short, attacked down the far side. DuJuan Richards entered the area and was taken down by Jeremy Antonisse. Referee Ivan Barton pointed to the spot and called for the penalty. But VAR called him to the monitor and saw that Antonisse never fouled Richards, as he got the ball and waved off the penalty.

History made and dreams shattered

After posting five minutes of stoppage time and adding another six minutes due to the VAR Review, along with other issues, referee Ivan Barton finally blew his whistle, and the tiny Dutch Island of Curacao did the impossible. They clinched the top of Group B and qualified for their very first World Cup.

For Jamaica, they have an opportunity to get a second chance as they entered the intercontinental playoffs as they were drawn in the first match against New Caledonia of the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation), and the winner would face Congo DR of CAF (Africa). But Jamaica will do it without head coach Steve McClaren, as he announced his resignation from the National Team.

Costa Rica & Honduras Draw, and both are out

At the National Stadium of Costa Rica in San Jose, both teams were battling for the chance to either make the World Cup or to make the intercontinental playoffs. Neither team did and found themselves sobbing on the pitch after the full 90 minutes were over. A double knock-out, as that match killed two birds with one stone.

Goalkeepers were excellent

The cagey veteran of Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas and Honduras’ Edrick Menjivar played very well in net, making all the stops and putting themselves in a good position to stop all attacking advances. You saw both sides going for it and making every play count.

Final whistle and heartbreak

After 90 minutes of blood, sweat, and tears, both Costa Rica and Honduras ended the match in a scoreless draw. While Haiti won Group C and qualification to the World Cup, Honduras got double whammied because of the own goal by Guatemala that gave Suriname the chance to survive and qualified for the Intercontinental playoffs.

Honduras earned nine points with a +3 goal difference, while Suriname had the same record and goal difference. The only thing that separated Suriname and Honduras was the total number of goals scored, as Suriname had nine while Honduras had five. That was the difference and the reason Honduras is joining Costa Rica in the elimination department.

This is why CONCACAF is the Wild, Wild West. When you think you know who will qualify for the World Cup, something like this comes around and bites you in the backside. So that is the good, the bad, and the ugly of what happens during World Cup Qualifying in this confederation we know as CONCACAF.

CONCACAF News:

• Suriname Falls Apart at Guatemala, but is Saved by an Own Goal for Intercontinental Playoffs
• Haiti Clinches Group C in CONCACAF, Qualifies for the World Cup
• Haiti Shocks Costa Rica with a One Goal Victory, Moves into Second Place in Group C

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