World Cup Qualifiers CONCACAF

Honduras National Team

Next Thursday our World Cup qualifying group will see action. Costa Rica visits Haiti in Curazao and Honduras, which is my country visits Nicaragua in Managua. For starters Nicaragua is, along with Bermuda the only two teams that have absolutely no options of qualifying to anything. The rest of the teams in the three groups have varying possibilities.

Of course the group that interests me is the Honduras group, one goes direct and the other probably goes to another round with teams from different federations. Honduras leads its group with 8 points followed by Costa Rica with 6 and Haiti with 5. So the game in Curazao will be electrifying. Meanwhile Honduras has to win in NIcaragua to at least qualify for the extra games. This is all conjecture, a draw between Costa Rica and Haiti and a Honduras win qualifies Honduras directly.

Now Nicaragua is not exactly an easy team, they are on home turf and they have nothing to lose. Their coach Fantasma Figueroa has gone all out saying he is going to send his team to do everything possible to make sure Honduras does not go to the World Cup. First of all Honduras can lose against Nicaragua and can still qualify, second of all it is a professional coaches job to try and win every game his team plays. Otherwise you start thinking maybe he just decides what games he will try to win. Very unprofessional of this guy.

But both games, Haiti-Costa Rica and Nicaragua-Honduras will be very difficult especially the game in Curazao as the team that loses is out, and a draw leaves Haiti also nearly out. Haiti has a very good team, all of its players are in Europe or the USA, maybe not in top notch teams but still professional teams. Costa Rica does not have that many players out of Costa Rica but do have experience in these type of games. My guess here is I have no guess, but I would like a draw. Honduras' edge against Nicaragua is also players in Europe, Asia, USA and Mexico, a lot of experience, But the home advantage could come into play here.

By the way I am sure if Haiti had been able to play its games at home at the Sylvio Cator stadium they would be in much better shape. But unfortunately they are playing in Curazao, and have no real home team edge. Now if Costa Rica wins, regardless of how Honduras ends up in Nicaragua, Costa Rica-Honduras on the 18 will decide who goes to the World Cup directly.

A very difficult panorama, but not quite as difficult as the Guatemala, Panama, Suriname, El Salvador group. All have a chance, even though El Salvador's are minimal. I of course am rooting for a draw in Curazao and a Honduras win in Nicaragua. But I doubt it, things never turn out that easy.