Winners:
The USA's 2-0 win over Mexico marked its seventh win over its archrival in their last 10 meetings and earns the Americans a World Cup 2006 spot with three qualifying games left to play. They join eight other teams already assured of a spot in the finals: Germany (host), Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea, Iran and South Korea.
BRAZIL and UKRAINE also qualified for the World Cup with results last weekend. Brazil, the only country to have played in every World Cup, crushed Chile, 5-0, in Brasilia. Ukraine's 1-1 tie at Georgia was enough to clinch Europe's Group 2 title and seal its first World Cup appearance. Ukraine is the first team from Europe to clinch a berth in the 2006 finals.
Trinidad & Tobago remained in contention for its first appearance in the World Cup when it beat Guatemala, 3-2, to move into a tie for fourth place in the Hexagonal with the Chapines. The T&T heroes were RUSSELL LATAPY, who scored in his return after a four-year absence, and STERN JOHN, who scored twice in the last five minutes.
The SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES, who still have seven regular-season games left, became the first team to clinch an MLS playoff spot thanks to their 2-0 win over FC Dallas on goals by Ronald Cerritos and Alejandro Moreno.
Losers:
IVORY COAST missed a chance to clinch its first berth in the World Cup when the Elephants fell to Cameroon, 3-2, at home. Chelsea star Didier Drogba twice traded goals with Cameroonian Achille Webo, before Webo's third goal on a diving header in the 87th minute gave the Lions the win. Cameroon is now in a position to clinch its fifth straight appearance in the World Cup.
A mistake by Japanese referee TOSHIMITSU YOSHIDA touched a wave of controversy in the Asian World Cup qualifying playoffs series between Uzbekistan and Bahrain. With the Uzbekistan leading, 1-0, at home in the 38th minute of the first leg, Yoshida awarded a free kick to Bahrain and disallowed a converted Uzbekistan penalty kick because of encroachment into the penalty area by an Uzbek player. Uzbekistan, which won the game, 1-0, protested, and FIFA ordered the game to be replayed from the beginning. Uzbekistan is protesting this decision, saying the game should be replayed from the point of the incident – i.e., beginning with the penalty being retaken, as Yoshida should have ruled.
FC DALLAS' loss to San Jose extended the club's winless streak to nine games and marked its fourth unsuccessful attempt to win at its new Pizza Hut Park. Justin Mapp's stoppage time goal gave Chicago a 2-1 win at LOS ANGELES, which has lost its last two home games. The METROSTARS remain seven points out of a playoff spot after a 2-2 tie at home with Kansas City.