Although there is plenty of intrigue in European and African World Cup qualifying, writes Luis Bueno, Concacaf has become utterly predictable. Already three of the region’s four qualifiers from the past World Cup — Mexico, Costa Rica and the U.S. — have won their opening two semifinal round games, and are dead certs for the final qualifying round. And once there, the three countries will likely cement their position as the regional powers and go on to qualify for South Africa, with Trinidad & Tobago a good bet to take fourth place again.
“As a whole, Concacaf is a weak soccer region,” Bueno writes. “While other confederations see teams rise and fall, the gap between the top three and the bottom of Concacaf is apparently one nation — Trinidad & Tobago. Trinidad is not in the region’s upper crust, but the Caribbean nation could separate itself from the pack by advancing to its third consecutive Hexagonal.”
Although the U.S. team faces tough physical conditions when it travels to Central American countries, the reality is that its opponents are simply not that good, and its road defeats in qualifying since 1980 have come only in Mexico and Costa Rica. Canada always seems on the cusp of becoming good, but has already as good as failed, despite some quality players. Honduras also has talent, but still struggles, while “Guatemala and Jamaica are two nations whose quality of soccer continues to spiral as each nation finds the going difficult in this region. And those nations are actually considered challenging opponents in Concacaf.”