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Thursday Mar 23, 2017

Costa Rica’s Ramirez aims to repeat personal Azteca history

Head coach Oscar Ramirez (pictured) has Costa Rica atop the CONCACAF Hexagonal table after two rounds of games. (Photo: Victor Straffon/Straffon Images)

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rica head coach Oscar Ramirez is one of the rare individuals with an ability to say that he has a perfect record as the visiting manager at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.

In his lone match at the famed venue, Ramirez led Alajuelense to a 1-0 win over Club America on the last week of 2013/14 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League group-stage play.  The result eliminated the host from the competition and confirmed the Manudos’ place in the quarterfinals.

Now in charge of Costa Rica, Ramirez will be looking to achieve a similar feat on Friday, when his team faces Mexico on matchday three in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.  The Ticos (2W-0D-0L, 6 points) top the Hexagonal table with maximum points from two games, while Mexico is second with four points.

“They are different circumstances,” said Ramirez at a Wednesday press conference, after being asked about the momentous triumph against Club America.  “What it was with [Alajuelense] was a group that had been coming together.  The boys had a great performance.”

While Ramirez was hesitant to say that his experience of winning at the Azteca could be a factor Friday, the former Costa Rica international believes his squad is well prepared for the encounter.

“They are always different things, in that moment it was a team and it was difficult because it was to play against America,” the 52-year-old finished.  “I feel that now years have gone by, I think studying the opponent gives you tranquility of taking the match as it comes.  We have done serious study and we have sent that to the player.”

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WCQ Game Guide: USA v Honduras

USA forward Clint Dempsey (pictured) celebrates after scoring against Honduras in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the last game between the sides. (Photo: Mexsport)

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP
CONCACAF Qualifying — Final Round, Matchday 3

Date: March 24, 2017
Match: USA v Honduras
Venue: Avaya Stadium – San Jose, California, USA
Time: 11:00 p.m. ET

MATCH OFFICIALS
A:
AR1:
AR2:
4th:

SUSPENSIONS
USA: Timothy Chandler, Jermaine Jones
Honduras: none

ALL-TIME WCQ SERIES
USA leads: 5W-2D-1L (13GF, 10GA)

LAST WCQ MEETING
February 6, 2013: Honduras 2, USA 1
Juan Carlos Garcia 40′; Jerry Bengtson 79′ / Clint Dempsey 36’

FIVE MATCH WCQ FORM
USA: LLWWW
Honduras: WLDWW

CONCACAF QUALIFYING RESULTS

USA (Overall record: 4W-1D-3L … 21GF, 9GA)
13.11.15 USA v St. Vincent & the Grenadines 6-1
17.11.15 Trinidad & Tobago v USA 0-0
25.03.16 Guatemala v USA 2-0
29.03.16 USA v Guatemala 4-0
02.09.16 St. Vincent & the Grenadines v USA 0-6
06.09.16 USA v Trinidad & Tobago 4-0
11.11.16 USA v Mexico 1-2
15.11.16 Costa Rica v USA 4-0

Honduras (Overall record: 3W-2D-3L … 9GF, 8GA)
13.11.15 Canada v Honduras 1-0
17.11.15 Honduras v Mexico 2-0
25.03.16 El Salvador v Honduras 2-2
29.03.16 Honduras v El Salvador 2-0
02.09.16 Honduras v Canada 2-1
06.09.16 Mexico v Honduras 0-0
11.11.16 Honduras v Panama 0-1
15.11.16 Honduras v Trinidad & Tobago 3-1

CONCACAF QUALIFYING SCORERS

USA: Jozy Altidore (6); Bobby Wood (3); Geoff Cameron, Sacha Kljestan, Cristian Pulisic (2); Paul Arriola, Matt Besler, Clint Dempsey, Fabian Johnson, Gyasi Zardes, Graham Zusi (1)

Honduras: Romell Quioto (3); Alberth Elis, Oscar Garcia, Eddie Hernandez, Emilio Izaguirre, Antony Lozano, Mario Martinez (1)

FINAL ROUND SUMMARY

USA: The USA sits last in the final round after opening the Hexagonal with two straight defeats for the first-ever time, falling to Mexico (1-2, home) and Costa Rica (0-4, away). Against Mexico, the Americans lost at home in a World Cup qualifier for the first time in 34 years. The result ended a string of four straight 2-0 triumphs by the Americans over their southern neighbor at MAPFRE Stadium in CONCACAF qualifying. That setback was followed by a stunning loss at Costa Rica, which saw the Ticos net three times in during an eight-minute, second-half stretch.

Honduras: Honduras opened final-round play with a 1-0 loss to visiting Panama on November 11, 2016. Fidel Escobar scored the only goal in the 22nd minute, when his right-footed free kick from 22-yards out took a slight deflection off Honduras’ Romell Quioto before hitting the back of the net. The Catrachos had two chances to equalize in the 57th minute, but Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo saved efforts from Diego Reyes and Alberth Elis.

FAST FACTS

USA
– Played in every World Cup from Italy 1990 through Brazil 2014 … longest active streak by any CONCACAF side.
– Holds record for most Hexagonal wins (29) and most first-place finishes (3).
– Scored most goals in fourth-round WCQ play (20 … Guatemala #2 with 18).
– 7-0-0 in last seven competitive matches (CONCACAF Gold Cup & WCQ) played in USA v Honduras.

Honduras
– Qualified for three FIFA World Cups, including the last two (1982, 2010, 2014).
– Has never won more than five games in three previous Hexagonal appearances.
– Conceded one goal or fewer in five consecutive WCQs.
– Competing in fourth Hexagonal.

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