Edson Álvarez scored a dramatic, vital, last-gasp equaliser for Mexico to help his country secure a thrilling penalty shootout win over Honduras in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals.
Training 2-0 from the first leg, Mexico looked on course for defeat at the Azteca Stadium when they went into the eleventh minute of added time still trailing 2-1 on aggregate. However, West Ham United midfielder and Mexico's captain for the night Álvarez shot low into the bottom left-hand corner to level and spark wild celebrations.
The game remained 2-2 on aggregate through extra-time, during which Honduras were reduced to nine men by two red cards, and Mexico ultimately prevailed 4-2 on penalties to advance to the semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Jamaica came from 3-1 down on aggregate to draw 4-4 with Canada in Toronto and prevail on away goals. Michail Antonio was not involved in the game.
Their victories also mean Mexico and Jamaica have also earned places at the 2024 Copa América, which will be held in the United States next June/July.
Dinos Mavropanos and Greece will need to secure their place at UEFA Euro 2024 via the play-offs after concluding their Group B qualifying campaign with a 2-2 draw with France in Athens on Tuesday evening. His West Ham teammate Alphonse Areola was on the bench for Les Bleus.
With Mavropanos starting at centre-back, the Greeks came from behind to lead at the Agia Sophia Stadium, only for an equaliser from Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana to deny them victory. The draw denied France a perfect campaign and saw Greece finish third with 13 points, nine behind their opponents and five behind fellow automatic qualifiers, the Netherlands.
However, after topping UEFA Nations League Group C2 earlier this year, Greece will now take on Kazakhstan in the play-offs Path C on 21 March 2024. The winners will then face Georgia or Luxembourg in the final five days later, with the winners progressing to the tournament in Germany.
There were mixed results for Nayef Aguerd and Mohammed Kudus in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying in Africa.
Aguerd and Morocco won 2-0 in Tanzania in their opening Group E tie, with the Hammer joining forces with his 2022 World Cup defensive partner Romain Saïss to good effect again in Dar es Salaam.
Morroco, whose opening tie with Eritrea was cancelled after their opponents withdrew from qualifying, are top of Group E ahead of Zambia, Niger and Tanzania on goal difference, with Congo fifth on zero points.
Kudus was introduced as a half-time substitute for Ghana in their Group I tie with Comoros in Moroni but was unable to prevent the Black Stars from falling to a 1-0 defeat.
The forward had helped Ghana edge out Madagascar by the same scoreline at home in their first game, but this time Chris Hughton’s side were unable to find the net as they slid to an unexpected loss on the Indian Ocean archipelago.
The World Cup qualifiers now take a break until June next year, with the CAF Africa Cup of Nations taking place in January and February. Morocco have been drawn to face Tanzania, DR Congo and Zambia in the group stage, while Ghana will take on Cape Verde, Egypt and Mozambique.
