El Salvador 3 - Guyana 2; Mexico 1 - Costa Rica 0

Providence was the scene for the return match between hosts Guyana and El Salvador.  Both teams needed to win to push for the second spot in Group Two, and both teams went out with an attacking mindset, leading to an open football match.  The Golden Jaguars got the crowd going in the first minute when Gregory Richardson scored after an unforced turnover by El Salvador.  La Selecta answered ten minutes later when a Jaime Alas cross led to an Osael Romero header nutmegged the goalkeeper for 1-1.  Poor finishing more than anything else prevented the scoreline from changing before halftime.

La Selecta took ten minutes, but they nosed ahead when Alas gathered an overhit corner kick before unleashing his team's second goal to the near post before the goalkeeper could march across his goal line to cover.  Guyana leveled the match again when a Carl Cort header was trapped by Chris Nurse before Nurse finished into the Salvadoran net.  El Salvador took a 3-2 lead with one quarter hour to go through after a weak headed clearance attempt fell to an onrushing Rafael Burgos, who provided a classy finish, but the height of the drama came just before the final whistle.  Guyana were awarded a penalty kick when Richardson was brought down, but Cort's effort was saved by Salvadoran goalkeeper Dagoberto Portillo to preserve the 3-2 victory.  El Salvador win 3-2 and now must only beat Costa Rica at home next month in order to advance to the CONCACAF Fourth Round.  Guyana must win their final two matches to have any hope of survival.

The famed Estadio Azteca hosted the return of Mexico to home soil to take on Costa Rica.  Hector Moreno's powerful header off a Mexico corner was headed toward a destination in the Tico net, but goalkeeper Keylor Navas flew to the upper reaches of his goal to tap the ball onto the crossbar.  The otherwise slow first half ended 0-0.

Early in the second period, Navas continued his hero turn with a diving one-handed stab at a solid header from Jesus Zavala.  Mexico broke through on the hour mark when a Jose Torres Nilo cross had the absolute perfect pace, height, and curl to float one centimeter over Navas's hand and onto Javier Hernandez's (pictured, green) grateful head at an abandoned back post, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.  The rest of the match stayed true to its slow, relaxed pace with no real action to be found.  With the uneventful 1-0 victory, Mexico are the first of six teams to advance to the CONCACAF Fourth Round.

Mexico 12 pts IN
El Salvador 5 pts 0
Costa Rica 4 pts +1
Guyana 1 pts -7

Goals
El Salvador
Osael Romero 12
Jaime Alas 56
Rafael Burgos 76

Guyana
Gregory Richardson 1
Chris Nurse 62

Mexico
Javier Hernandez 60

Match Reports:
http://www.demerarawaves.com/index.php/201209124577/Latest/el-salvador-ends-3-game-world-cup-qualifying-winless-streak-against-guyana.html
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2012/09/12/guyana-lose-3-2-to-el-salvador/
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mexico-1-0-costa-rica-030200414--sow.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVhviBVfNuI (El Salvador v. Guyana)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7XQJHr75yM (Mexico v. Costa Rica)