CONCACAF Third Round Schedule

After the second round of North America's qualification cycle, ten of the top twelve seeds are still alive. The only exceptions are Panamá, who fell to El Salvador, and Guyana, who were ousted by Suriname. There is no need for a draw in CONCACAF as these semifinal groupings were determined in the Durban draw in November 2007.

The group memberships and ELO ratings are shown below.

Group A
19 United States of America
84 Guatemala
87 Trinidad and Tobago
85 Cuba

Group B
11 México
72 Jamaica
43 Honduras
50 Canada

Group C
53 Costa Rica
133 Suriname
100 El Salvador
83 Haiti

August 20, 2008
Trinidad and Tobago at Cuba
United States of America at Guatemala
Jamaica at Canada
Honduras at México
El Salvador at Costa Rica
Suriname at Haiti

September 6, 2008
Guatemala at Trinidad and Tobago
United States of America at Cuba
Jamaica at México
Honduras at Canada
Haiti at El Salvador
Suriname at Costa Rica

September 10, 2008
Trinidad and Tobago at United States of America
Cuba at Guatemala
Jamaica at Honduras
Canada at México
El Salvador at Suriname
Costa Rica at Haiti

October 11, 2008
Trinidad and Tobago at Guatemala
Cuba at United States of America
México at Jamaica
Canada at Honduras
El Salvador at Haiti
Costa Rica at Suriname

October 15, 2008
United States of America at Trinidad and Tobago
Guatemala at Cuba
Honduras at Jamaica
México at Canada
Suriname at El Salvador
Haiti at Costa Rica

November 19, 2008
Cuba at Trinidad and Tobago
Guatemala at United States of America
Canada at Jamaica
México at Honduras
Costa Rica at El Salvador
Haiti and Suriname

Here are my fearless predictions for which six nations will be taking part in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying in 2009. From Group A, I foresee the United States of America and Guatemala advancing. The two survivors of the tough Group B will be México and Canada. The two teams coming out of Group C shall be El Salvador and Costa Rica.

About the only team that I do not see with much of a chance to advance is Suriname, although I do not feel as though any of the other three teams in Group A will challenge the United States of America for the group crown.