King Salman calls for rain-seeking prayer on Thursday    Lebanon, Israel agree to US-brokered deal to end conflict    Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire designed to be permanent, says Biden    Anger in Israel at 'irresponsible and hasty' ceasefire    Al Hilal advances to AFC Champions League knockout stage despite 1-1 draw with Al Sadd    Finance minister: All Vision 2030 projects have sustainable funding that won't affect public finances    Crown Prince announces medium-term debt strategy to diversify funding sources "A resilient economy capable of overcoming challenges reflects progress towards achieving Vision 2030 goals"    'No excuses' for Israel to not accept ceasefire deal, EU foreign policy chief says    Riyadh Season draws 8 million visitors in 6 weeks    Alkhorayef highlights role of National Initiative for Global Supply Chains in boosting Saudi economy    Saudi Arabia signs investment deals worth SR35bn with foreign firms to strengthen global supply chains    Saudi Arabia unveils updates on Expo 2030 Riyadh master plan at 175th BIE General Assembly Riyadh Expo Development Company established to oversee strategic planning, operations, and legacy development    Saudi FM attends Quadripartite meeting on Sudan in Italy    Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies    Cristiano Ronaldo's double powers Al Nassr to 3-1 win over Al Gharafa in AFC Champions League    Al Ahli edges Al Ain 2-1, bolsters perfect start in AFC Champions League Elite    Most decorated Australian Olympian McKeon retires    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    'Pregnant' for 15 months: Inside the 'miracle' pregnancy scam    Do cigarettes belong in a museum?    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US and Mexico edge towards World Cup Finals
By Simon Evans
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 11 - 09 - 2009

Narrow wins for Mexico and the United States Wednesday hugely strengthened their chances of reaching next year's World Cup Finals while Costa Rica suffered a surprise defeat to El Salvador.
Ricardo Clark struck a 62nd minute goal as the United States labored to a 1-0 win away to Trinidad and Tobago while Mexico needed a 75th minute Cuauhtemoc Blanco penalty - and some late luck - to beat battling Honduras by a single goal at the Azteca Stadium.
El Salvador kept alive its slim hopes of qualifying with an injury time goal from Rudis Corrales that condemned Costa Rica to a 1-0 loss – its second straight defeat.
The results mean that the United States leads the group on 16 points with Mexico second on 15, followed by Honduras (13), Costa Rica (12) and El Salvador (8) with two rounds remaining.
Trinidad's defeat leaves them bottom of the six-team group on five points and formally out of qualifying contention.
The top three teams automatically qualify for next year's Finals in South Africa while the fourth-placed team must playoff with the fifth-placed side from South America.
Only some surprising outcomes will stop the US and Mexico from taking two of those automatic spots even though neither side would be entirely satisfied with their performances Wednesday.
The US survived some scares during a scrappy first half - most notably when Cornell Glen struck the cross-bar with a lob in the 29th minute.
Jozy Altidore responded with a fierce strike from distance which Trinidad keeper Clayton Ince did well to keep out. But the home side continued to press forward and Trent Noel twice went close with free-kicks just before the interval.
The US, which had lacked fluency and purpose in a ragged first half display, produced a sterner performance after the interval and grabbed the lead with Clark's powerful strike from 20 meters out.
Coach Bob Bradley looked ready to substitute Clark moments before he picked up the ball from Landon Donovan and unleashed his superb shot.
Mexico totally dominated the first half against a cautious Honduran team but were unable to convert their chances - Miguel Sabah missing two good opportunities just before the break.
Honduras keeper Noel Valladares also frustrated El Tri as he produced a great save to keep out a blistering drive from Efrain Juarez that was rocketing into the top corner and another to foil Guillermo Franco in the 30th.
But the breakthrough came when winger Giovani Dos Santos went down after push in the back from Maynor Figueroa and Blanco converted with ease.
Honduras then piled on the pressure in the final stages - Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa saving at the near post from Julio De Leon in the 86th minute and then Carlos Pavon headed over from a promising position in injury time.
The win extends Mexico's unbeaten run to 12 games.
Cameroon jumps to the top
Cameroon beat Gabon 2-1 in Yaounde in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday to move to the top of Group A.
Cameroon tops the group with seven points from four games, while Gabon is second with six points.
The match was initially scheduled to be played June 20 but was postponed after the death of Gabon's leader Omar Bongo Ondimba, who had ruled the country for 41 years.


Clic here to read the story from its source.