by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 4, 2015

Concacaf, Third Round, First Leg:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Canada-Belize

St. Vincent & the Grenadines-Aruba

Grenada-Haiti

Curacao-El Salvador

Jamaica-Nicaragua

Antigua & Barbuda-Guatemala

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA-GUATEMALA.

Peter Nowak

Quinton Griffith

Moises Hernandez

Marco Pappa

Elias Vasquez

Stefano Cincotta

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES-ARUBA.

Cornelius Huggins

Oalex Anderson

The third and final knockout round of World Cup 2018 qualifying begins in Concacaf with six matches on Friday. Of particular interest to the USA: Antigua & Barbuda, coached by Peter Nowak, vs. Guatemala and St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Aruba. The winners of the two-leg series will join the USA and Trinidad & Tobago in their semifinal round that begins in November., 7:30 p.m. ET, 3:15 p.m. ETm beIN Sports Connect, 4 p.m. ET, beIN Sports Connect, 7 p.m. ET, beIN Sports, NBC Universo, 9 p.m. ET, beIN Sports, 8 p.m. ET, beIN Sports ConnectFormer U.S. Olympic team coachwill attempt to lead Antigua & Barbuda back into the semifinal round. The Benna Boys and Guatemala met in the semifinals of 2014 World Cup qualifying. The Chapines won both legs 3-1 and 1-0, and will be favored again.That has put pressure on Nowak, who has said he won't resign if Antigua & Barbuda doesn't advance. “We need to build something that is gonna be sustainable for years," he told an Antigua radio show this week.The conditions Nowak has to work with aren't easy. He's only had six domestic-based players in his team and often hasn't had access to facilities.The Charleston Battery'ssays this time will be different for the Benna Boys. “We’re gonna win this game," he told an Antigua radio show this week.Three MLS players were called in by Guatemala -- former U.S. U-20(FC Dallas),(Seattle Sounders) and(Real Salt Lake). The only major absence for Guatemala is Germany-basedVincy Heat is hoping for a big win at the Arnos Vale Playing Field to give it a cushion for the second leg in Aruba, which is only playing in World Cup qualifying for the second time and is only still alive because Barbados forfeited in the last round."I am very confident with the team," said Coach, who played briefly in the A-League. "We want to seal the deal here. We want to make sure of going to Aruba with something convincing."Vincy Heat's goal is to make the semifinal round and play the United States. "They see the journey from here on as a very good opportunity to market themselves," he added, "so they will look to impress the scouts who will be around these matches.”SVG's squad includes 19-year-oldof Seattle Sounders 2.