Panama 2 - Honduras 0; Canada 1 - Cuba 0

In the first match of the CONCACAF Third Round, Canada traveled to Havana to face Cuba.  Cuba started off best on the patchy field, but it would be the Canadians who came closest in the first half.  At the tail end of the first period, Dwyane de Rosario struck the crossbar off an eight-yard sitter, leaving Canada to ponder what could have been as they went into the locker room tied at zero goals apiece.

Ten minutes after the restart, Edgar David sent a inside-out cross into the Cuban box from where Olivier Occean headed home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.  In minute 64, Canuck goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld was shown a red card for handling a ball outside the box, leaving Canada to hold onto their slim lead with only ten men on the pitch.  The resulting free kick was sent way high, and Canada go on to win 1-0.

La Marea Roja of Panama (picked by this blog to make their first FIFA World Cup finals appearance at Brasil 2014) paid a visit to group favorites and 2010 South Africa participants Honduras in San Pedro Sula.  The first forty-five minutes were nondescript, and the half ended scoreless.

The second period belonged to Blas Perez (pictured, red).  With twenty-five minutes left in the match, Perez with his back to goal flicked a ball in stride to his left hip, spun, and unleashed a massive right-footed volley into the goal for 1-0 to Panama.  With ten minutes left to play, Perez took a cross and headed home from the edge of the penalty area to score and impressive brace to give Panama a 2-0 lead.  Even more impressive was Perez's use of the "Bernie" dance to celebrate both strikes.  Panama should dance all the way back to their hotel after winning 2-0 in the house of the Catrachos.

Goals
Canada
Olivier Occean 55

Panama
Blas Perez 64, 80

Match Reports:
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/occeans-goal-leads-canada-over-cuba-in-world-cup-qualifying/article4243070/?service=mobile
http://www.tropigol.com/2012/06/09/perez-panama-stun-honduras-on-the-road/

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezjLwndGX9c (Canada v. Cuba)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djt3GulclqI&feature=related (Panama v. Honduras)