USA, Mexico close in on WC berths

LOS ANGELES – The United States and Mexico closed in on World Cup berths Wednesday, while Trinidad and Tobago were eliminated and Costa Rica suffered a costly defeat in the North and Central America and Caribbean zone.

In Port of Spain, Ricardo Clark’s 62nd-minute goal lifted the United States to a 1-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, putting the USA atop the six-nation final-round group with 16 points with two matches remaining.The defeat spelled the end of Trinidad and Tobago’s hopes, as they remained mired at the bottom of the table with five points.Mexico, who had made a stuttering start to the final round, continued their late surge with a 1-0 victory over Honduras at Azteca Stadium.El Salvador, fighting to avoid elimination, defeated Costa Rica 1-0 in San Salvador, a victory that kept El Salvador alive with eight points.Three countries from the region advance directly to the World Cup finals in South Africa, while the fourth-placed team plays off for a berth against the fifth-placed team from South America. – Nampa-AFP