Reyes scores, Mexico tops T&T to stay unbeaten in WCQ.
CONCACAF.COM.
Mexico (3W-1D-0L, 10 points) remained on course for a berth at Russia 2018 with a 1-0 win over host Trinidad & Tobago (1-0-3, 3) in a CONCACAF final round qualifier on Tuesday.
Diego Reyes struck for the only goal in the second half, meaning that the Tricolor will finish the evening atop the six-team table regardless of the Panama-USA result later in the evening. T&T is in the last place and won’t have another opportunity to climb the ladder until the schedule resumes in June.
Fans at Hasely Crawford Stadium reveled in the 32nd minute, when T&T’s Joevin Jones fired the ball into the back of the net from 10 yards. The celebrations were cut short, however, after the goal was disallowed for offside.
A right-footed blast from outside the box by Hector Herrera nearly gave Mexico the lead two minutes into the second half, but the ball ricocheted off the right post.
That miss led to Reyes’ first-ever international goal in the 58th minute. Miguel Layun delivered an out-swinging corner kick from the right that the 24-year-old center back headed home authoritatively off the lifted left hand of goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams.
Mexico is only unbeaten team in CONCACAF qualifying with an overall record of 8-2-0, while T&T was shutout for third time in its last five WCQ outings.
Teams
Trinidad and Tobago: 21.Jan-Michael Williams; 2.Aubrey David, 25.Curtis Gonzales, 5.Daneil Cyrus, 17.Mekeil Williams; 19.Kevan George, 8.Khaleem Hyland (14.Andre Boucaud 65th); 7.Cordell Cato (15.Willis Plaza 80th), 10.Kevin Molino (Yellow55), 3.Joevin Jones; 9.Kenwyne Jones (capt) (20.Jamille Boatswain 65th).
Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 22.Glenroy Samuel (GK), 4.Sheldon Bateau, 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 11.Carlos Edwards, 12.Hashim Arcia, 13.Hughtun Hector, 16.Levi Garcia, 23.Leston Paul.
Coach: Dennis Lawrence
Mexico: 12.Alfredo Talavera; 3.Carlos Salcedo (Yellow 62) (17.Jesus Gallardo 66th), 2.Nestor Araujo, 15.Hector Morena (capt), 22.Luis Reyes (Yellow 80); 5.Diego Reyes (21.Orbelin Pineda 74th), 23.Jesus Molina; 9.Raul Jimenez (11.Carlos Vela 56th), 16.Hector Herrera, 7.Miguel Layun; 14.Javier Hernandez.
Unused substitutes: 1.Jesus Corona (GK), 13.Guillermo Ochoa (GK), 6.Oswaldo Alanis, 8.Jonathan Dos Santos, 10.Luis Nontes, 18.Elias Hernandez, 19.Oribe Peralta, 20.Jesus Duenas.
Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio
Referee: Valdin Legister (Jamaica).
Hex Results
Honduras 1 v Costa Rica 1.
Trinidad and Tobago 0 v Mexico 1.
Panama 1 v USA 1.
Standings
P W D L F A Pts - (+)
Mexico 4 3 1 0 5 1 10 (+4)
Costa Rica 4 2 1 1 7 3 7 (+4)
Panama 4 1 2 1 2 2 5 (0)
United States 4 1 1 2 8 7 4 (1)
Honduras 4 1 1 2 4 9 4 (-5)
Trinidad & Tobago 4 1 0 3 2 6 3 (-4)
Upcoming Games
8 June 2017 (home team listed first)
United States v Trinidad & Tobago, TBA
Costa Rica v Panama, Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica
Mexico v Honduras, Estadio Azteca
11 June 2017 (home team listed first)
Mexico v United States, Estadio Azteca
13 June 2017 (home team listed first)
Panama v Honduras, Estadio Rommel Fernández
Costa Rica v Trinidad and Tobago, Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica
RELATED NEWS
Soca Warriors fade.
T&T Guardian Reports.
A single goal from defender Diego Reyes in the 57th minute earned Mexico all three points on the road against a fighting T&T Soca Warriors in their FIFA/Concacaf World Cup qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, last night.
But T&T may feel cheated by a dubious offside call by Jamaican referee Valdin Legister that prevented them from going ahead in the first half of the match, and perhaps a possible win or at least a share of the points.
After absorbing relentless Mexican pressure, midfielder Khaleem Hyland, the architect of a neat T&T build-up, found Joevin Jones unmarked in the area and he made no mistake, beating goalkeeper Afredo Talavera with a powerful left-footed drive that nestled into the roof of the Mexico net. But Legister spoiled the party by blowing offside.
Instead, it was Mexico who were later celebrating early in the second half when Reyes raced inside the T&T area to meet a left-side corner sweetly on the head and steer the ball past Jan-Michael Williams into the top left corner.
The Mexicans expectedly settled early and felt they should have scored when Caros Salcedo lifted a pin-point pass to captain Hector Herrera inside the area in the eighth minute and with only the keeper to beat, Herrera hit a weak header to the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Williams.
When the hosts found their confidence, a neat build-up from the right-side by Hyland found Jones on the left, but the speedy player cut inside and hit a weak shot that failed to trouble the Mexico custodian in the 15th minute. As play continued the teams traded opportunities, but both defences proved equal to the task as the teams closed the first session of play without a goal to show for their efforts.
At the resumption, Mexico continued their dominance with the ball and really should have scored when Javier Hernandez was fed a through ball inside the box. But he lost his footing as a sliding Williams put in a strong challenge.
Hernandez was guilty of many missed chances from similar plays in the time that followed.
Coach Dennis Lawrence later brought on Jamille Boatswain and Andre Boucaud as replacements for skipper Kenwyne Jones and Hyland in an attempt to salvage a point from the contest, but a steady Mexican defence prevented all attacks at goal.
Only Jones (Joevin) was given a last-ditch chance from a free kick at the top the box, but his attempt deflected off the wall before being cleared to safety.
Going into the back-to-back matches against Panama and the Mexicans, coach Lawrence had aimed at four points, but he got three from Friday’s 1-0 victory against Panama at the same venue.