CONCACAF resumes its qualifying with the beginning of the second round tomorrow. The winners of each group will join the USA, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Cuba in the next group stage.
Group A
El Salvador v Dominican Republic
The Salvadorians are the big favorite in this group and should easily dispatch the minnows of the Dominican Republic. While the DR has improved recently, the side is still a long ways off of competing with the quality that El Salvador has.
Prediction: El Salvador 4 Dominican Republic 0
Suriname v Cayman Islands
Suriname may be the sleeper in this round, they have a decent talent pool to choose from. On the other hand, the Cayman Islands is one of the weaker teams in the round and will find any points hard to come by.
Prediction: Suriname 5 Cayman Islands 1
Group B
Trinidad and Tobago v Bermuda
These sides faced off in round two of 2010 qualifying, with T&T advancing 3-2 on aggregate. Bermuda did win in Trinidad, 2-1, before falling 2-0 at home. Khano Smith leads the way for Bermuda, as Otto Pfister tries to guide Trinidad and Tobago back to the World Cup.
Prediction: Trinidad and Tobago 2 Bermuda 0
Guyana v Barbados
Two average sides in CONCACAF play in an essential game for both teams. Each has an outside shot at winning the group and three points are absolute must for both. Guyana is a little better and should have enough to win at home.
Prediction: Guyana 3 Barbados 2
Group C
Dominica v Nicaragua
Neither of these sides will win the group, that honor will go to Panama, who does not have a game due to the withdrawal of the Bahamas. These teams appear fairly even and a draw is likely, although Dominica has the slight edge of pulling out a win.
Prediction: Dominica 1 Nicaragua 1
Group D
Canada v Saint Lucia
Canada opens its campaign in Toronto at BMO Field where they take on Saint Lucia, who defeated Aruba to get to this point. The two nations are in stark contrast to each other, one a giant country that is often cold, the other a tiny Caribbean island. The advantage clearly goes to Canada, who could run up the score pretty badly.
Prediction: Canada 7 Saint Lucia 0
Saint Kitts and Nevis v Puerto Rico
This is one of the better matchups of the round and should provide an exciting game. SKN is better on paper, but Puerto Rico has been improving rapidly over the past few years and may cause a slight upset in this game.
Prediction: Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 Puerto Rico 1
Group E
Grenada v Belize
Belize is fortunate to still be in the competition after being suspended by FIFA earlier this summer. The worst team in Central America has a tough task in what may be the strongest group from top to bottom. Grenada wins this game going away.
Prediction: Grenada 4 Belize 1
Guatemala v Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
"Vincy Heat" travels to Guatemala as both sides open their campaigns. Guatemala is the favorite here, but Vincy Heat has a solid group of players. If Guatemala is not careful they could be upset.
Prediction: Guatemala 2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0
Group F
Haiti v U.S. Virgin Islands
The USVI is the Cinderella story of CONCACAF after the side picked up its first two qualifying wins in history in the first round. However, the road gets a lot tougher for the team and they are huge underdogs to even get a point in this round. Haiti should expect a big win in this game.
Prediction: Haiti 5 U.S. Virgin Islands 0
Antigua and Barbuda v Curaçao
Antigua and Barbuda has quietly become one of the Caribbean's better teams over the last couple of years. They host Curaçao who will be playing its first competitive games since taking over the record of the Netherlands Antilles. Anitgua and Barbuda can win this group and should get off to a nice start by earning a comfortable opening victory.
Prediction: Antigua and Barbuda 3 Curaçao 1
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