El Salvador-Canada to start Olympic qualifying
CONCACAF.comEl Salvador will face Canada while the United States will start against Cuba to open the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying finals, the confederation announced Thursday.
Group A will begin play in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, March 22, with Group B in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson to follow the next day, pitting defending champion Honduras against Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico.
The groups will alternate play for the next four days, with the United States taking on northern neighbor Canada on March 24 and Mexico clashing with Honduras on March 25.
The group winners will face the runners-up in the opposite groups on Saturday, March 31 in Kansas City, Kansas, with the victors qualifying for the London Olympic Games July 27-August 12. The semifinal winners will play Monday night in Kansas City.
The host United States will be seeking a seventh trip to the Olympics in eight tries while Mexico will be looking to qualify for a fourth time in six tries. Honduras is looking for a third berth in the Olympics after first qualifying in 2000.
El Salvador, Panama and Trinidad have never qualified while Canada's last appearance in the Olympics came in 1984, four years after Cuba's last appearance.
CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Finals
FIRST ROUNDAll times U.S. Eastern (local times in parentheses)Group A (Nashville, Tennessee): Canada, Cuba, El Salvador, United States
Group B (Carson, California): Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago
Thursday, March 22
At Nashville, TennesseeEl Salvador vs. Canada, 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m.)
United States vs. Cuba, 9 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Friday, March 23
At Carson, CaliforniaHonduras vs. Panama, 9 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico, 11:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
Saturday, March 24
At Nashville, TennesseeCuba vs. El Salvador, 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
United States vs. Canada, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Sunday, March 25
At Carson, CaliforniaPanama vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 4:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m.)
Mexico vs. Honduras, 7 p.m. (4 p.m.)
Monday, March 26
At Nashville, TennesseeCanada vs. Cuba, 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m.)
United States vs. El Salvador, 9 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Tuesday, March 27
At Carson, CaliforniaHonduras vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 9 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Mexico vs. Panama, 11:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
SEMIFINALS
Saturday, March 31
At Kansas City, KansasGroup B winner vs. Group A runner-up, 6 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up, 9 p.m. (8 p.m.)
CHAMPIONSHIP
Monday, April 2
At Kansas City, KansasSemifinal winners, 8 p.m. (7 p.m.)