COSTA RICA-USA: Arena to revamp lineup? Sept. 5 in San Jose, Costa Rica (Saprissa Stadium) TV: ESPN2 (live) 10 pm ET. Referee: Carlos Batres (Guatemala) STANDINGS: Costa Rica, 1st in the Hexagonal (5 wins, 1 tie, 1 loss, 14 goals for, 7 against, 16 points). USA, 2nd in the Hexagonal (4 wins, 1 tie, 2 losses, 9 goals for, 5 goals against, 13 points). Coach Bruce Arena has only a few choices available as he ponders his lineup for tonight’s qualifier in San Jose, Costa Rica. In a 0-0 game tie with Costa Rica at Columbus last October in the semifinal round of qualifying, the U.S. played 3-5-2 and managed a shutout with a very depleted lineup. Midfielder Chris Armas dropped to a right-back position at times to help shore up the right side, which was manned by Carlos Llamosa. Gregg Berhalter played in the middle because Eddie Pope was injured. The U.S. also blanked the Ticos in Kansas City last April in the 4-4-2. Steve Cherundulo played a strong game against Hernan Medford, but seemed to wilt under the pressure last Saturday at RFK and Arena may not feel he can handle the Saprissa Stadium pressure-cooker. Llamosa will definitely be in the lineup tonight and Pope was perhaps the only defender to play reasonably well against Honduras, so he should keep a spot. If Arena plays 3-5-2, the back three could be Agoos, Llamosa and Pope. If Arena wants another holding midfielder to pair with Armas, he could use Richie Williams or Berhalter. The latter is stronger in the air and distributes the ball well but Arena knows Williams from their D.C. United days. In a four-man back line if Cherundulo is dropped, Tony Sanneh could play right back. In a 3-5-2, he would move to the right side of midfield. The lack of wide midfielders cost the U.S. dearly at RFK. In either system, Stewart could move back to the left-side spot he played earlier in the Hexagonal and if Costa Rica attacks down that side he will have to stay wide instead of tucking in. Jones can also play on the left flank as either a midfielder or as a winger. If Stewart keeps a central spot, there aren’t many options. Greg Vanney is left-sided, but a mistake by him cost the U.S. a goal last year in San Jose and he hasn’t played a qualifier this year. Regis looks much more comfortable in midfield than he did at left back Saturday but his defensive positioning was atrocious. Jovan Kirovski had a quiet game against Honduras but distracted the goalkeeper on the first U.S. goal and won a penalty kick. Cobi Jones’ speed and experience almost assures him of a starting spot and Joe-Max Moore played all right in his brief appearance. But would Arena start all three and bench Landon Donovan, who is only 19 and whose immense talent might be smothered in Saprissa? Arena also has the guile and savvy of Preki, who isn’t strong enough to play 90 minutes but was an effective substitution against Honduras. If Jones moves to midfield and Stewart stays in the middle in either a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 it opens up forward slots for Donovan, Kirovski or Moore. Keeper Brad Friedel had little chance on any of the goals and handled everything else thrown at him by the Hondurans. Kasey Keller is antsy on the bench, as usual , but Arena picked Friedel last Saturday and is likely to stay with him and deal with the goalkeeper friction later. ò Costa Rica qualifies for the World Cup if it wins today. ò Costa Rica lineup: Lonis, Wallace (or Jara), Marin, Parks, Martinez, Castro, Solis, Lopez (or Centeno), Gomez, Fonseca, Wanchope. HONDURAS-JAMAICA: Catrachos must avoid letdown Sept. 5 in Tegucigalpa (Tiburcio Carias National Stadium) TV: Closed-circuit (live) 9:30 pm ET. Referee: Shaban Qasem (Kuwait) STANDINGS: Honduras, 3rd in the Hexagonal (3 wins, 2 ties, 2 losses, 16 goals for, 13 goals against, 11 points). Jamaica, 5th in the Hexagonal (2 wins, 2 ties, 3 losses, 6 goals for 10 against, 8 points). Honduras’ win over the USA last Saturday goes down as one of the greatest in its history — it kept Honduras’ hopes alive of reaching the World Cup for the second time — so the big question will be whether the Catrachos can avoid a letdown against Jamaica. The Catrachos will be without their dominating central defender Samuel Caballero, who received his second yellow card against the USA. But Jamaica’s giant center forward Onandi Lowe is also out on a yellow-card suspension. Lowe is by far the Reggae Boyz’s most formidable weapon. Moreover, Jamaica midfielder Darryl Powell is also suspended. In the back, Jamaica, whose hopes diminished with its loss to Mexico in Kingston on Sunday, is still without defender Ian Goodison, who was injured in a motorcycle accident on Friday. Reynaldo Clavasquin, who plays in the Austrian Second Division and was suspended against the USA, has been called and could step in for Caballero. In their first meeting, Honduras tied in Jamaica. But the Catrachos are inconsistent at home, having beaten Mexico but falling to the USA and Costa Rica. MEXICO-TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: A likely rout Sept. 5 in Mexico City (Azteca Stadium) TV: Telemundo (live) 10 pm ET. Referee: Jose Farias (Canada) STANDINGS: Mexico, 4th in the Hexagonal (3 wins, 1 tie, 3 losses, 10 goals for, 9 goals against, 10 points). Trinidad & Tobago, 6th in the Hexagonal (1 tie, 6 losses, 4 goals for, 15 goals against, 1 point). This one has all the makings of a rout. Mexico welcomes a thoroughly dejected T&T to Azteca Stadium. Plus, the Mexicans have the services of Cuauhtemoc Blanco — easily the most dangerous Mexican striker. Blanco returned to action last Saturday after an injury layoff since October and scored both goals in the Tri’s 2-1 win over Jamaica. During Blanco’s absence Mexico went through its most dismal spell in recent history. One that put its World Cup hopes in jeopardy. Blanco suffered a severe knee injury from a foul by Ansil Elcock when Mexico beat T&T, 7-0, during the semifinal round. T&T technical director Rene Simoes has chosen not to bring the Columbus Crew defender to Mexico because of that incident.