Despite a drenching rain in San Pedro Sula Wednesday night, the biggest party in Honduras took place at Estadio Olimpico after Toronto FC midfielder Amado Guevara helped guide the hosts through to the final stage of CONCACAF qualification for the 2010 World Cup with a 1-0 victory against Mexico.
Both teams advance in Group 2, but Honduras booked its ticket as group winners. Guevara, the team's captain, guided a corner kick in front of the goal where Mexican defender Ricardo Osorio knocked it into his own net for the game's lone goal in the 51st minute.
The match was a heated affair, which saw eight players booked and two Mexican players -- Gerardo Torrado and Carlos Vela -- sent off in the final three minutes of regulation.
Joining Guevara, who was booked in the 90th minute, in celebration was D.C. United's Ivan Guerrero, who also played the entire 90 minutes.
Jamaica picked up maximum points in the three games since John Barnes took over as manager, but a 3-0 victory against Canada at the "Office" in Kingston wasn't enough for advancement.
Toronto FC defender Tyrone Marshall helped keep the clean sheet, while Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings came off the bench and struck for the final goal in the 86th minute.
In what will no doubt be good news for New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio, speedy midfielder Dane Richards was an unused sub for Jamaica.
Toronto FC's Kevin Harmse and Real Salt Lake's Will Johnson each played the full 90 minutes for Canada, which finished a distant and disappointing last in Group 2.
Costa Rica finished atop Group 3 with a perfect 6-0-0 record following a 3-1 victory against second-place El Salvador in San Salvador. Chicago Fire fullback Gonzalo Segares started for Costa Rica, but was replaced after 13 minutes.
At Dick's Sporting Goods Park, FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory against Guatemala, which saw its hopes of advancement dashed when Trinidad & Tobago defeated Cuba 3-0 in Port of Spain.
John Thorrington of the Chicago Fire, Michael Parkhurst of the New England Revolution, Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark and Cooper each earned their first World Cup qualifying starts for the U.S. Chivas midfielder Sacha Kljestan and Colorado midfielder Pablo Mastroeni each played the full 90 minutes, while Houston's Brian Ching, Conor Casey of Colorado and Kansas City's Davy Arnaud came off the bench for the USA, which finished atop Group 1.
Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa came on as a 57th-minute substitute for Guatemala.
In Venezuela's scoreless draw against Angola in Caracas, Red Bulls teammates Gabriel Cichero and Jorge Rojas were both in the starting XI for the hosts. Cichero played the entire 90 minutes, while Rojas was replaced in the 64th minute. Alejandro Moreno of the Columbus Crew did not play.
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