Honduras 0 - Panama 0; Canada 3 - Cuba 0

Canada welcomed short-handed Cuba to Toronto.  Cuba showed up to the match with only eleven players as one player was ill and another three had escaped from the team hotel in order to defect to the United States.  Canada were in no position in the standings to show mercy to the Cubans even though their visitors were without substitutes; Canada needed a win to keep on track for Brasil 2014.  Canada were battering the Cuban goalmouth from the opening whistle, but three chances went begging early.  Simeon Jackson played a ball up to Ante Jazic that led to a slotted ball across the box.  Tosaint Ricketts found the ball in space and fired home for 1-0 to Canada.  Cuba goalkeeper Odelin Molina made a fine save off a close-range header to keep his team within touching distance.  The half finished 1-0 to the Canucks.

Julian de Guzman created a turnover in the Cuban defensive zone and worked his way in for a shot, but Molina was up to the task yet again, this time with a kick save.  In minute 70, Roberto Linares was sent off for a rash tackle against Andre Hainault, leaving Cuba to cope with ten men.  Will Johnson headed Canada's second goal home after a monster deflection left a jump ball up for grabs on Cuba's goal line with no Molina in site.  In the ensuing celebration, Olivier Occean was given a straight red for shoving Molina in the net as Canada tried to grab the ball the hasten the ensuing kickoff.  The final seventeen minutes plus were played ten versus ten.  Five minutes later, a Jazic cross was met on a volley by the outside of David Edgar's foot, leading to a screamer for Canada's third goal.  Canada win 3-0 and need only a draw on the road in Honduras to advance to the final six in CONCACAF.

Panama City was the site as Panama and La Marea Roja welcomed Los Catrachos of Honduras.  Panama knew that a win at home would seal their progression to the next phase of qualifying.  Armando Cooper had a golden opportunity to put Panama ahead but he let Honduras off the hook as he beat the goalkeeper but not the post on his through-ball induced breakaway.  Honduras came back with two close calls, but neither required a save to be made.  Cooper came right back and forced Donis Escober (pictured, yellow) in the Honduran goal to saved on the stretch, and the resulting rebound came too quickly for Blas Perez (pictured, red) to put the ball back on target.  The half ended poised precariously at 0-0.

Luis Tejada jumped onto the offensive in the first minute of play upon resumption, but Escober was so well placed that he had to use his hands to save his face from taking the brunt of the shot.  Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo was called into action to save at the lower corner of his goal when a turn-and-shoot from twenty yards by Carlo Costly was sent with pace at his goal.  Boniek Garcia had another chance for Los Catrachos one minute later, but this time Penedo went airborne to knock the ball to safety.  Victor Bernandez took a short angled free kick from nineteen yards, but his rocket sailed just over the crossbar.  Panama held on for dear life and the result is a 0-0 draw.

Panama 10 pts +4
Canada 10 pts +3
Honduras 8 pts +2
Cuba OUT

Goals
Canada
Tosaint Ricketts 14
Will Johnson 73
David Edgar 79

News Reports:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/10/13/missing-cubans.ap/index.html?eref=sircrc

Match Reports:
http://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/article/1270979--world-cup-soccer-cuba-faces-canada-with-no-subs-in-qualifying
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/canada-beats-undermanned-cuba-3-0-in-world-cup-qualifying/2012/10/12/1a2aafda-14d9-11e2-9a39-1f5a7f6fe945_story.html
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Canada+final+World+qualifying+game+Honduras/7387071/story.html
http://fepafut.com/noticias_detail.asp?id=3095

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrIMpvJCRCY (Canada v. Cuba)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKtJZRuxzP0 (Honduras v. Panama)