4313_reading_isi_bpi_mancunitvread.g8ej Matt West/isiphotos.com
Hex Foes Abroad

Reading's Jamaican Trio Falls Flat; Vela Still AWOL

Adrian Mariappa, Jobi McAnuff, and Garath McCleary can't help their club's new manager get three points, while Mexico's absent star stays injured and Dane Richards might be on the move.
BY Jon Arnold Posted
April 03, 2013
1:00 PM
The five national teams the U.S. faces during the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying include players who play outside CONCACAF. You know how the Americans fared abroad each week, but what about the players they’ll be facing? We’ll keep you updated on their progress each week. Also, don’t forget to check out our section dedicated to all things Hex.

We’ll focus first on the United States’ next Hex opponents:

Jamaica
There’s a new manager at Reading, but things aren’t going any better for the Royals and the three Reggae Boyz playing there. Arsenal beat the team easily, winning 4-1 at the Emirates. Adrian Mariappa went 90 minutes at center back and Jobi McAnuff did the same in midfield. Garath McCleary came on for the final nine minutes of the match.

Jermaine Johnson scored Sheffield Wednesday’s goal in a 1-1 tie with Bristol City on Monday and came off in the 52nd minute. Marvin Elliott, who scored for Jamaica against Panama, went the full 90 for Bristol City.

Nyron Nosworthy is out for the rest of the season for Watford. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in Jamaica’s 1-1 draw with Panama. Lloyd Doyley, who made his first appearance in the Hex in a 2-0 loss to Costa Rica last week, came on in the first half for the Hornets in a 1-0 win against Hull City.

Omar Daley didn’t make the Motherwell team for a 3-0 win over Dundee.

Tremaine Stewart and Demar Phillips, Aalesund’s Jamaican duo, both played the full 90 and earned yellow cards against Sandnes Ulf. More significantly, Stewart tallied the match’s only goal.

Rodolph Austin played all 90 minutes of a Leeds United loss to Derby County on Monday. He didn’t get off the bench Saturday in a 3-0 loss against Ipswich Town.

Jermaine Beckford started and Theo Robinson took his place in the 89th minute of Huddersfield Town’s 1-0 defeat to Hull City. Only Beckford featured Monday against Bolton, coming on in the 77th minute.

Forward Ricardo Fuller was an unused sub Tuesday after starting and going 85 on Saturday for Charlton in an eventful 3-2 win against Bolton Wanderers.

Dane Richards was reportedly in line for a loan from Burnley but no news on that front yet.

Panama
It was a scoreless draw between Huila and Millonarios. Román Torres went the full 90. The Colombians host Corinthians in Copa Libertadores play Thursday.

Gabriel Gomez came on just after the halftime break for Junior, but the club continued its losing skid, dropping a 2-1 result to Atlético Nacional.

Nelson Barahona replaced John Javier Restrepo for Itagui in the 66th minute. He had a better day than the next sub Itagui utilized, who was sent off just two minutes after entering the club’s 3-0 loss against Deportivo Cali.

Armando Cooper hasn’t appeared for Godoy Cruz since the first week of March.

Luis Henríquez and Lech Poznan beat Pogon Szczecin 2-0. Henríquez played the whole match.

Honduras
Wigan has started its survival charge it pulls every year, winning its second straight. Maynor Figueroa went 90 minutes at left back in the 1-0 win against Norwich.

Roger Espinoza was an unused substitute.

Carlo Costly scored from the spot this week as Veria topped Kerkyra, 2-0. It took a while for him to actually take the shot because of the flares being lobbed toward the pitch. There were a total of four players sent off in the match, but Costly was subbed out in the 89th minute (Haitian Frantz Bertin came on for him but isn’t a Hex foe) before things broke down. Diez has the full highlights.

Celtic drew 1-1 at St. Mirren. Emilio Izaguirre went the full 90 at left back in a match that saw his teammate Victor Wanyama sent off midway through the second half. Izaguirre conceded the penalty that led to the St. Mirren score.

Defender Osmán Chavez returned to Wisla Krakow in a scoreless draw at Lechia Gdansk.

Luis Garrido also returned for Red Star Belgrade, going the whole match in a 2-0 victory against… wait for it… Radnicki 1923 Kragujevac? Looks like FK Radnicki for short.

Jorge Claros was on Hibernian’s bench but didn’t play in a 2-1 loss to Iverness.

Costa Rica
Bryan Ruiz and Fulham staved off a QPR comeback attempt. The Cottagers took a 3-0 lead before seeing the visitors get two back. Ruiz went the distance at attacking midfielder.

Joel Campbell came on for Real Betis in the 60th minute and got a yellow card in the final minute of a scoreless draw with Getafe.

Bryan Oviedo didn’t see any action for Everton as the Toffees took down Stoke, 1-0.

Midfielder Christian Bolaños was injured in a certain World Cup qualifying match and didn’t play in either of Copenhagen’s subsequent matches.

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas was Levante’s back-up keeper, as usual.

Giancarlo Gonzalez played the full 90 for Valerenga in its 1-0 win against Sogndal in Norway.

Also in Norway, Michael Barrantes started but was substituted during Aalesund’s win against Sandnes Ulf.

Mexico
A quiet week from the Mexican contingent. Hector Moreno and Espanyol drew 2-2 with Real Sociedad. Moreno played the full 90 at center back and won all the aerials he was involved with.

Real Sociedad’s Carlos Vela missed the draw after injuring his left thigh with Sociedad.

Chicharito was not in the Manchester United 18.

Gio dos Santos had a decent game but wasn’t on the scoresheet for Mallorca in a 3-2 loss against Deportivo La Coruna.

Andres Guardado had a good match for Valencia at left back but despite his best efforts Falcao still got on the board in a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid.

Guillermo Ochoa didn’t have the best time in goal for El Tri but his success in Ligue 1 continues despite a loss. Toulouse beat Ajaccio 3-2 this weekend, with Memo beaten by a tough deflection, a great flick, and a penalty. Javier Aquino again went the full 90 for Villarreal in a 5-1 running over of Mirandes. And look who’s back! It’s dramatic Aquino video guy. It started off a little more lighthearted than usual but returned to form once the beat dropped. Whose performance strikes the most fear in your heart? Have we missed any players who you think should be in the U.S.’ game tape rotation? Any information you’d like to see in future editions? Let us know in the comments section.

Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) is a writer based in Arizona and is ASN's CONCACAF correspondent.

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