Jamaica, Mexico close the gap THE race for the three CONCACAF places at the World Cup finals in Japan and Korea is hotting up - if not for all three, certainly for the third one. With six matches gone and four to go, the USA and Costa Rica are on 13 points each, Honduras and Jamaica are on eight each, Mexico are on seven, and with Trinidad and Tobago on one and out of it, the consensus is that the USA and Costa Rica are on the way with Honduras, Jamaica and Mexico fighting for the other one. Although it does appear that the first two places are already booked, it is, however, statistically still wide open. With four matches each to go, with three points for a victory, one for a draw and none for a defeat, it is still possible, even though it is highly improbable, that one of the USA and Costa Rica could falter and that instead of one, two of Honduras, Jamaica and Mexico could make it. Chances are, it will not happen - for the simple reason that Jamaica, Honduras and Mexico have each other to play and will hurt each other. The possibilities, however, guarantee an exciting climax, and the possibilities came about because of some wonderful performances over the weekend. Going into the second round of the contest, the USA were way in front and looked unstoppable, Costa Rica were challenging strongly, Honduras, who had surprised Mexico, were going great guns, and Jamaica and Mexico were in trouble. In one exciting weekend, however, a weekend in which two home teams suffered, the pack came together with the USA losing their three-point lead as Costa Rica drew level, and with Jamaica and Mexico moving up behind the leaders and closing the gap. In Port of Spain, Jamaica came from behind to defeat Trinidad and Tobago; in Tegucigalpa, Costa Rica, who had done the unthinkable by beating Mexico in Mexico City, clipped Honduras; and in Mexico City, in what was their last chance to stay alive, Mexico pipped the USA. As far as Jamaica's chance is concerned, they must still be thanking Costa Rica. While it would be nice to go to Japan and Korea as the top team from CONCACAF, what is important is that Jamaica get there, and by going into Honduras and knocking off the home team, Costa Rica have done Jamaica a good turn. Costa Rica's victory left Jamaica tied with Honduras in third position, and that means that although they have other work to do, with Honduras among those to play, Jamaica's fate is in their own hands. What is important is that Jamaica are now better placed than they were at the start of the second round, and after scoring only three goals in five matches and scoring two in one away from home while defeating Trinidad and Tobago, they must be bubbling with confidence as they look forward to taking on Mexico at home - even though they lost 4-0 in Mexico. Jamaica still have a way to go, but thanks to goalscorers Onandi Lowe and Deon Burton, thanks to Costa Rica, they are in with a chance - as good a chance as Mexico, and based on what is happening in South America, probably as good a chance as Brazil. Who, in their wildest dreams, would have believed 10 years ago that Brazil and Mexico would be fighting for a place in the World Cup finals, that there would have been a possibility that Jamaica could make it and that Brazil and Mexico could not. Right now there is that possibility. FROM THE BOUNDARY
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