All four of RSL's full international players were victortious on Friday night, with the U.S.'s Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando part of the squad that won 2-1 at Antigua & Barbuda, Canada's Will Johnson a goal scorer in Canada's 3-0 win over Cuba and Costa Rica's Alvaro Saborio a key contributor in Los Ticos huge 1-0 win at El Salvador.
Johnson had the best night of RSL's international quartet, scoring the second goal in Canada's 3-0 win over Cuba at BMO Field in Toronto. The new father scored on a 72nd minute header to put Canada up 2-0 on Cuba, which only had a roster of 11 men after a number of players reportedly left the team ahead of the match. Johnson and his Canadian teammates will now travel to Honduras ahead of their Oct. 16 match in the Central American country. Manager Stephen Hart's side - which is currently in third-place, one point behind second-place Honduras - will need at least a tie on the 16th to finish in the top-two of their group and qualify for the Hexagonal.
Saborio also had a good night, playing 82 minutes and delivering a key pass that led to the lone goal in Costa Rica's 1-0 win at El Salvador. The victory vaulted Saborio and Los Ticos into second-place in their group. With what should be an easy home game against Guyana the only match left on their schedule, it looks like Costa Rica will qualify for the Hexagonal round.
Both Beckerman and Rimando dressed but did not play in the U.S.'s 2-1 win at Antigua & Barbuda. The win leaves the U.S. in first place in its group, only needing a result against Guatemala in Kansas City on the 16th to clinch passage to the Hexagonal.
