Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

Jamaica's Luton Shelton (right) holds off a challenge from a Mexican defender on Saturday night at the National Stadium. Jamaica won 1-0 to improve their chances of making it to the final round of World Cup qualifying. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

ONE DOWN, now it's two to go. Having put Mexico on the floor Saturday, the Reggae Boyz return to work at 'The Office' today, aiming to pick off Honduras in a do-or-die CONCACAF Group Two World Cup qualifying match, beginning at 7 p.m.

With only the top two qualifying from the quadrangular group play to CONCACAF's six-nation final round play-offs, Jamaica, lying third, five points adrift joint group leaders Honduras and Mexico, with only two matches remaining, must win to keep their slim chances alive.

Part of their hopes, quite faint, hinge on a Canada victory over Mexico in the other penultimate group fixture, that will be played in Canada.

Advancing position

The last time Jamaica hosted Honduras in Cup qualifying, they won 3-0 in 1996 with a Walter Boyd double. A similar result would be great as it would put Jamaica in the position to advance ahead of Honduras - on head-to-head match-up - should both finish this series tied on points.

Mexico can guarantee their qualification with a win against Canada, who are bottom of the standings with a point and out of contention.

The Hondurans beat Jamaica 2-0 in the first-round contest in San Pedro Sula and they, too, can seal qualification tonight, if there's any other result but a Jamaica win.

Coach Theodore Whitmore, a former Reggae Boyz captain who was dubbed 'The Magician' because of his skills, has a Midas streak going with a 100 per cent win record in the three matches that he has handled the team.

"There are areas which we could do better in," he said of the Mexico game, adding that "... against the Hondurans we have a lot of work to do. We have put the Mexico performance behind us. The Honduras game is a more serious game. This is the game we definitely need three points from."

Strengthened squad

Ten of Jamaica's top players, who ply their trade in European and American leagues, have strengthened the squad since the first Honduras match.

Also added is Harbour View FC attacking midfielder Jermaine Hue, a replacement for fellow linkman Rudolph Austin, who is ineligible due to an accumulation of cards.

The Hondurans are aware of the changes. In an interview with sports website JamaicaWin.com, defender Meilio Izaguirre said: "There is a great difference between the Jamaica we played in San Pedro Sula and the one we are going to face here. They are more motivated and they have the support of their fans. The objective is the World Cup and nothing more. I am convinced that we will qualify and the entire team is convinced of that."

Quality players

Austin will be missed defensively. Oneil 'Bigga' Thompson should retain his starting position though, alongside captain Ricardo Gardner and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who had the game of his life wreaking havoc on the Mexican defence Saturday.

There is also the vastly experienced Tyrone Marshall who played sweeper Saturday, but also stood out in central midfield when the teams played last month in Honduras.

Apart from quality, the intensity with which the Jamaicans asserted themselves by aggressively taking the game to the Mexicans is impor-tant and it will take a similar level of confidence to gain the all-important result.