World Cup Qualifying: Team USA Finally Wins One In Guatemala

The third stage of qualifying from the CONCACAF region for the 2010 FIFA World Cup commenced Wednesday:

Group A Play:

At Havana, Cuba:

Goals from Keon Daniel (27', 61') and Cornell Glen (66') led Trinidad and Tobago to a 3-1 road win over Cuba.

At Guatemala City:

In a match that ended with both teams down to 10 men because of red-card ejections, the United States, for the first time ever, won a World Cup qualifying match in Guatemala, defeating the hosts 1-0 as Carlos Bocanegra scored the game's only goal in the 69th minute.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Trinidad and Tobago (GP:1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. United States (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Guatemala (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Cuba (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

In Group B play:

At Toronto:

Canadian goalkeeper's Pat Onstad's own goal at 52 minutes enabled visiting Jamaica to gain a 1-1 road draw versus Canada. Julian de Guzman provided the lone Canadian goal at 47 minutes.

At Mexico City:

Pavel Pardo's double (73', 75') lifted Mexico to a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Honduras.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Mexico (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Canada (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
Jamaica (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Honduras (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

Group C play:

At Port-Au-Prince, Haiti:

Late, and I do mean late, goals from Frantz Gilles (90') and Fucien Brunel (90'+5) propelled Haiti to come back from two goals down to gain a 2-2 home deadlock with Suriname, whose goals came from Wensley Christoph (31', 45'+1)

At San Jose, Costa Rica:

Alvaro Saborio scored the game's only goal (49') as Costa Rica defeated El Salvador 1-0 at home.

GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Costa Rica (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Suriname (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
Haiti (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. El Salvador (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

The top two finishing teams in each group would advance to the fourth and final stage of qualifying.