Mexico: Mexico captain Claudio Suarez, who celebrated his 151st cap (second on the all-time list) in the 3-2 loss to Colombia, admitted the setback, which extended the Tri’s winless streak to five games, was “worrying.” Suarez tried to look on the bright side, though. “This will force us to work harder to improve over performance on the field,” the 32-year-old Suarez said. “Unfortunately, the results we hoped for in the recent games have been negative. We played better [against Colombia], but errors cost us the game.” Mexico took a 2-0 lead after 14 minutes on goals by Suarez and Luis Hernandez — both off loose balls in front of the goal — but the Tri gave up three horrible goals to lose. Goalie Jorge Campos misjudged a free kick, the Mexican defense let a driven free kick cross the entire penalty area to a player open at the far post, and — worst of all — Omar Blanco misplayed a simple ball in the 90th minute, allowing the Colombians a breakaway. Mexican fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum threw objects on the field in disgust. Jamaica: FIFA justice may be slow but it is hard. A-League veteran Onandi Lowe, who was the Reggae Boyz’s best player in the semifinal round of qualifying, was handed a two-game suspension by FIFA for the red card he received against Honduras in October. Lowe retaliated by head-butting Reanaldo Clavasquin after the Honduran had kicked him. Clavasquin was also red-card for the incident and will also serve a two-game ban. Trinidad & Tobago: The Soca Warriors’ two narrow wins in Grenada didn’t sit well with the local press. Coach Ian Porterfield had to defend his team’s performances, saying it faced a tough Caribbean opponent. Porterfield was without his European-based stars. T&T is now off to Brazil, where it will continue training for the Hexagonal opener against Jamaica Feb. 28. Porterfield hopes to get a look at his British-based players when T&T organizes a second camp in England later in February. Two changes in the squad for the Brazil camp: Cyd Gray replaced Gary Glasgow, who joined MLS’s Kansas City Wizards for preseason training, and goalie Michael McComie, who steps in for the injured Ross Russell.
