Trinidad & Tobago (0 points) vs. Mexico (3 points) April 25 in Port of Spain Kickoff: 4 pm ET. TV: Live: CCN (closed-circuit); delay: Univision, (Pacific feed) 2 pm PT; (Eastern feed) 11:59 p.m. ET; 11 p.m. CT; (Mountain feed) 11 pm MT. Radio: Radio Unica (live) Referee: Saad Kameel MANE (KUW). Trinidad & Tobago, pointless after its first two games, faces a must-win situation against Mexico. The match has been preceded by a tense war of words with the Mexicans asking the T&T federation to move the game from Queen’s Park Oval. T&T countered that they’d only switch the venue if Mexico moved the return match from Azteca Stadium to a low-altitude venue. They complained of the intense media campaign in Trinidad leading up to the game. When the teams met in the semifinal round of qualifying, the Soca Warriors won, 1-0, at home to all but wrap up a berth in the Hexagonal. Mexico’s 7-0 win in Mexico City came after both teams were through to the final round. The game marks the return of Columbus Crew midfielder Ansil Elcock after a three-game suspension for a violent tackle on Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco in the second game. Blanco remains sidelined six months later. T&T coach Ian Porterfield, who will probably be fired if the Soca Warriors don’t win, recalled 11 foreign-based players for the game: Dwight Yorke, Clayton Ince, Gary Glasgow, Dennis Lawrence, Ronnie Mauge, Avery John, Ansil Elcock, Marvin Andrews, Anthony Rougier, Stern John, captain Russell Latapy and Elcock. Glasgow plays for MLS’s Kansas City Wizards. Avery John, the only newcomer in the team, plays for the D3 League’s Boston Bulldogs. Jorge Campos was left off the Mexican roster for the fourth straight game. The other players dropped from Mexico’s preliminary roster were Jose Manuel Abundis, Hugo Chavez, David Rangel, Braulio Luna and Juan Pablo Rodriguez. Campos and Abundis must play for Atlante in a special playoff to determine the 19th team in next year’s Mexican championship. Without the playoff, Atlante would have been relegated directly. Chavez (Morelia) and Rodriguez (Atlas) remained with their club games for the repechaje phase of the Mexican playoffs. The following players traveled to Port of Spain on Monday: Goalies: Oswaldo Sanchez, Oscar Perez. Defenders: Rafael Marquez, Joaquin Beltran, Claudio Suarez, Duilio Davino, Pavel Pardo, Salvador Carmona. Midfielders: Marco Antonio Ruiz, German Villa, Alberto Coyote, Victor Ruiz. Strikers: Antonio De Nigris, Jesus Arellano, Jared Borgetti, Juan Francisco Palencia, Daniel Osorno, Miguel Zepeda. Jamaica (3 points) vs. Honduras (1 point) April 25 in Kingston Kickoff: 8:30 pm ET. TV: Live: CCN (closed-circuit at Miami Arena, Miami; Armstrong Park at Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans; Club Amazura, New York — call 305-377-2680 for information). Radio: Radio Unica (live) Referee: Carlos Eugenio SIMON (BRA). Honduran coach Ramon Maradiaga also finds himself in the hot seat after the 2-1 loss to the United States in San Pedro Sula. “Primi” may be out if the Catrachos fail to get a point in Kingston. Striker David Suazo, who missed the U.S. match, is with the Catrachos for the Jamaica match. According to reports out of Italy, Juventus has offered $11 million for the young Honduran, but the Sardinians are holding out for $18 million. Honduras and Jamaica split in the second round of qualifying. The Reggae Boyz won, 3-1, in Kingston. Honduras won, 1-0, in the second match. Injuries to captain Linval Dixon and recent Colorado Rapids signee Christopher Dawes may force Jamaican coach Clovis de Oliviera to reshuffle his defense. Their chances of playing are listed as 50-50. The Miami Fusion’s Tyrone Marshall, who had the winning goal for the Boyz against T&T, is suspended after picking up yellow cards in his first two games. Barry Hayles of Fulham and Daryl Powell of Derby County are also on the injured list.
