What makes a great soccer match? Two teams playing for high stakes.
That's what the Copa Centroamericana has in store for fans on Wednesday night in Houston. Times three.
All three matches in the tripleheader have plenty on the line with the top two teams in each group earning direct berths to the 2015 Gold Cup with the group winners playing for the Copa Centroamericana championship on Saturday and the ultimate reward: a spot in the 2016 Copa America Centenario.
Here's how the group finales shape up:
Group B: PANAMA (1pt / GD: 0) vs. NICARAGUA (0pts, GD: -3) -- 6 pm ET, Univision Deportes Network
Panama may have found a way to cough up a 2-0 lead to Costa Rica in their group opener, but they still have a chance of clinching a spot in the Copa Centroamericana championship match if they can beat Nicaragua by four or more goals. A victory by a lesser margin means that Panama would have to content themselves with an automatic spot in next year's Gold Cup and a 3rd-place match on Saturday.
They'll hope that FC Dallas forward Blas Perez can recover from a right ankle issue, one of three injury setbacks suffered by los canaleros in the first match. The arrival of Colorado Rapids DP forward Gabriel Torres, the leading scorer in last year's Gold Cup, will only help.
If Nicaragua -- 3-0 losers to Costa Rica in their first match -- can take advantage of the injury crisis in Panama's camp, they can come away with 2nd place in Group B with a victory and a ticket to the 2015 Gold Cup. But even as a last-place team, they'd still feature in Saturday's 5th-place match, with a Gold Cup playoff berth on the line.
Group A: EL SALVADOR (3pts / GD 0) vs. BELIZE (0pts, GD: -3) -- 8 pm ET, Univision Deportes Network
Another game where one team will need a lopsided win to reach the Copa Centroamericana championship. This time it's El Salvador, who have to score as many goals as possible against tiny Belize and hope for the result to go their way in the tripleheader finale between Honduras and Guatemala.
“I think Belize has had some bad luck because they haven't played so poorly," warned El Salvador captain Andres Flores, "In their two matches they competed well but they were lacking the ability to finish their chances. We can't give them any advantage because they have dangerous players."
Group A: HONDURAS (3pts) vs. GUATEMALA (6pts) -- 10 pm ET, Univision Deportes Network
This has the potential to be the most dramatic match of the tournament to this point. Guatemala advance to the Copa Centroamericana championship with a win or tie, while Honduras want to win by as many goals as possible to do the same with the margin depending on El Salvador's result against Belize.
Bottom line: Expect some wide open soccer and then get your calculators ready to figure out the top three teams in each group, who will advance to Saturday's placement matches (1st place, 3rd place and 5th place). Here are the tiebreakers:
(1) The greatest number of points obtained during group play between the tied teams;
(2) The greatest positive goal difference during group play between the tied teams;
(3) The greatest number of goals scored during group play between the tied teams;
(4) The greatest positive goal difference in all group games;
(5) The greatest number of goals scored in all group games.
(6) Drawing of lots
