Face it: Sheep are just like us when it comes to recognizing people

Emma Watson, Jake Gyllenhaal, journalist Fiona Bruce and Barack Obama all walk into a sheep pen. No, this isn’t the beginning of a baaa-d joke.

By training sheep using pictures of these celebrities, researchers from the University of Cambridge discovered that the animals are able to recognize familiar faces from 2-D images. Given a choice, the sheep picked the familiar celebrity’s face over an unfamiliar face the majority of the time, the researchers report November 8 in Royal Society Open Science.
Even when a celeb’s face was slightly tilted rather than face-on, the sheep still picked the image more often than not. That means the sheep were not just memorizing images, demonstrating for the first time that sheep have advanced face-recognition capabilities similar to those of humans and other primates, say neurobiologist Jennifer Morton and her colleagues.

Sheep have been known to pick out pictures of individuals in their flock, and even familiar handlers (SN: 10/6/12, p. 20). But it’s been unclear whether the skill was real recognition or simple memorization. Sheep now join other animals, including horses, dogs, rhesus macaques and mockingbirds, that are able to distinguish between individuals of other species.
Morton and her colleagues released eight sheep one-by-one into a pen outfitted with two computer screens. A celebrity’s face would appear on one screen, while a different image appeared on the other. First, the team familiarized the sheep with the celebrities’ faces by showing the faces opposite a black screen or random objects. Picking the celebrity earned a sheep a food-pellet reward.
Next, researchers paired a celebrity mug, like Gyllenhaal’s now-familiar face, with an unfamiliar person. By the end of this experiment, the sheep chose a familiar celebrity’s face over a stranger’s face about 79 percent of the time on average.

To see if the sheep were just memorizing shapes, researchers did the same test, but with pictures in which the celebs’ heads were tilted right or left. The sheep didn’t do as well but still passed, recognizing the celebrities about 67 percent of the time on average — a drop in performance comparable to that seen in humans performing the same task.

In a final test, the sheep had to choose between a picture of one of their handlers’ faces and an unfamiliar face. On her first try, one sheep appeared taken aback by the new face in the mix. She did a double take of both faces before ultimately choosing her handler. Since the handler cares for the sheep daily, the animals were familiar with her — although they had never seen a 2-D photo of her face. Recognizing a person that is familiar from 3-D life requires “complex image processing,” the authors say, because the sheep must translate their memory of the person to a 2-D picture.

Brad Duchaine, a brain scientist at Dartmouth College, doesn’t find the sheep’s ability surprising. “My guess is that the ability of sheep to recognize human faces is a by-product of selection to discriminate between different sheep faces,” he says. “Either the human face is similar enough to the sheep face that [it] activates the sheep face-processing system, or human-face recognition relies on more general-purpose recognition systems.”

Human study supports theory on why dengue can be worse the next time around

Et tu, antibody? In humans, dengue can be more severe the second time around. Now, a study implicates an immune system treachery as the culprit.

The study suggests that the amount of anti-dengue antibodies a person has matters. In a 12-year study of Nicaraguan children, low levels of dengue antibodies left over in the blood from a prior infection increased the risk of getting a life-threatening form of the disease the next time around, researchers report online November 2 in Science.

Four related viruses cause dengue. The theory that antibodies protective against one type of dengue can collude with a different type of the virus to make a second infection worse was proposed in the 1960s. Such antibody-dependent enhancement has been shown in cells and lab animals. But “there’s been this controversy for five decades about, does this antibody-dependent enhancement really happen in dengue” in humans, says coauthor Eva Harris, a viral immunologist at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health. “And this says, yes, it does.”

About 2.5 billion people live where there is a risk of dengue infection. The virus infects 50 million to 100 million people every year, the World Health Organization estimates, but many cases go unreported. Infection with the mosquito-transmitted virus often leads to no symptoms, but can cause fever, joint and muscle pain and other flulike symptoms. The most severe form, which affects about half a million people annually, can include internal bleeding, respiratory distress or organ failure, and may be fatal.
Getting sick with one of the four virus types can protect against a future infection of the same type. But in some cases, the theory goes, leftover antibodies from the first illness can actually help the second infection invade cells, increasing the risk of severe dengue disease.

“This study provides support for this idea that antibodies under certain conditions can be bad and actually cause severe disease when people are infected with dengue,” says viral immunologist Sujan Shresta of the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California. The next step, she says, is to learn more about the antibodies involved and see whether the findings hold up in other populations.

From 2004 to 2016, Harris and her colleagues studied more than 6,500 children aged 2 to 14 in Managua, Nicaragua. The researchers took blood samples each year, at a time when the kids were healthy, and assessed their antibody levels. The scientists also monitored which kids developed dengue and how severe the disease was.

An analysis showed that kids with a specific low range of anti-dengue antibodies had around a 7½ times higher risk of developing the most severe form of the disease than those who had either no antibodies or a high amount. The team’s test couldn’t tell what kind of dengue antibodies each child had. Harris and colleagues are now working on characterizing the antibodies measured in their test, to learn what makes them protective or harmful.

The new study supports the theory of antibody-dependent enhancement in humans, says Anna Durbin, an infectious diseases physician at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But she also argues that the risk of developing severe disease depends on the quality of the antibody — that is, how potent it is — as much as, or more than, the quantity. “A number in and of itself doesn’t tell you a whole lot.”

Where is ‘College GameDay’ this week? Location, schedule, guest picker for Week 12 on ESPN

For the first time all season, Columbus, Ohio will host "College GameDay" in what will be a massive game between the fourth-ranked Buckeyes and No. 7 Michigan State.

Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, David Pollack and Co. will head to Ohio Stadium to preview a game that will not only affect the Big Ten championship race, but also the College Football Playoff rankings. Should the Spartans pull off the upset in Columbus, they will have only Penn State and the Big Ten West division champion standing between them and a playoff berth.
Things are slightly more complicated for Ohio State which, even with a win on Saturday, has a tough road to a fifth playoff appearance. They must then face No. 6 Michigan in The Big House before heading to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game. The Buckeyes then have to contend with their Week 2 loss to Oregon, yet another team that is in the playoff chase.
This game could be a contrast of styles as Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud seeks to lead the Buckeyes to victory. He has completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 3,036 yards and 30 touchdowns to five interceptions. He has no shortage of skill position weapons to use in Jaxon Smith-Njigba (59 receptions, 1,027 yards, five touchdowns), Garrett Wilson (53 receptions, 813 yards, nine touchdowns) or Chris Olave (51 receptions, 708 yards, 11 touchdowns). Running back TreVeyon Henderson (141 rushes, 1,035 yards, 14 touchdowns) is a home run threat as well.

There's no question who Michigan State's offense runs through: running back Kenneth Walker III. The junior leads all FBS in rushing yards (1,483 yards) and ties the national lead in rushing touchdowns (17) and touchdowns from scrimmage (18). He is also coming off three straight games with at least 143 yards and one score. In fact, he only has three games rushing for fewer than 100 yards this season.

Which play style will win out on Saturday? Only one way to find out. Until then, Sporting News has you covered on how to watch "College GameDay" preview the massive Big Ten meeting.
Where is 'College GameDay' location for Week 12?
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Matchup: No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State
The Buckeyes will make their 51st all time appearance on "GameDay" on Saturday, giving them one more than second-place Alabama for most all time. It will also be Ohio State's 20th time hosting "GameDay," a scenario in which the Buckeyes are 14-5 all time. More impressive is that all but one of those games took place between ranked teams (the lone exception was a 38-24 win over unranked Penn State in 2010).

Surprisingly, Ohio State has more nonconference losses in Ohio Stadium than conference losses; they have lost to Texas (2005), USC (2009) and Oklahoma (2017). In the Big Ten, only Penn State (2008) and Michigan State (2015) can claim "GameDay" victories in Columbus.

Michigan State is making its 16th all-time appearance on "GameDay," where it has gone 9-6 in its previous 15 matchups. That includes a 2-1 record as the road team, 9-2 record in ranked matchups and 2-2 record against Ohio State.
'College GameDay' schedule on ESPN
TV channel: ESPN
Start time: 9 a.m. ET
Davis, Herbstreit, Howard and Pollack will preview Week 12 action live from Ohio Stadium starting at 9 a.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET.

"GameDay" has three games to consider for its Week 13 visit, depending on how Week 12 plays out. The most obvious of those is No. 4 Ohio State at No. 6 Michigan. The game could very well determine the Big Ten East champion and, by extension, the Big Ten champion outright. Another option is Bedlam, between No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 9 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. It's possible the game features the Sooners and Cowboys as one-loss opponents; it could also be the first of two meetings this season. The meeting between No. 2 Alabama and Auburn in the Iron Bowl is also worth visiting, though the SEC West race could already be decided by then.

Week Matchup Location Guest Picker Corso's Headgear Outcome
0 Alcorn State vs. NCCU Atlanta Eddie George Braves NCCU 23, Alcorn State 14
1 No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 3 Clemson Charlotte, N.C. Kane Brown Bulldogs Georgia 10, Clemson 3
2 No. 10 Iowa at No. 9 Iowa State Ames, Iowa Ashton Kutcher Hawkeyes Iowa 27, Iowa State 17
3 No. 22 Auburn at No. 10 Penn State University Park, Pa. Saquon Barkley Nittany Lions Penn State 28, Auburn 20
4 No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 18 Wisconsin Chicago Danica Patrick Fighting Irish Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13
5 No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia Athens, Ga. Harris English Bulldogs Georgia 37, Arkansas 0
6 No. 6 Oklahoma vs. No. 21 Texas Dallas Mark Cuban Longhorns Oklahoma 55, Texas 48
7 No. 11 Kentucky at No. 2 Georgia Athens, Ga. Jeff Foxworthy Bulldogs Georgia 30, Kentucky 13
8 No. 10 Oregon at UCLA Pasadena, Calif. Bill Walton Bruins Oregon 34, UCLA 31
9 No. 6 Michigan at No. 8 Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. Ken Jeong Wolverines Michigan State 37, Michigan 33
10 Tulsa at No. 6 Cincinnati Cincinnati Nick Lachey Bearcats Cincinnati 28, Tulsa 20
11 No. 11 Texas A&M at No. 15 Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. Lane Kiffin Rebels Ole Miss 29, Texas A&M 19
12 No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio TBD TBD TBD
Who is the guest picker on 'College GameDay' for Week 12?
"GameDay" has yet to announce its celebrity guest picker for Week 12.

Jamaica vs. USA result: USMNT escapes with a draw after Jamaica goal disallowed

Win at home and pick up points on the road. That’s the formula to qualify for the World Cup from the CONCACAF region and the U.S. national team did what it had to do in coming away with a lackluster 1-1 draw against Jamaica in Kingston.

The Americans were fortunate not to have finished on the losing end after a Jamaican goal six minutes from time was disallowed. The referee ruled that Jamaica’s Damion Lowe held down U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman when he went up for his header on a corner kick.

The USA will take the point, which comes on the heels of a 2-0 win over rivals Mexico on Friday. The result has the Americans in good position ahead of the final two rounds of matches in January and March 2022.

The Americans broke through first in Kingston on a solo run by Tim Weah, who was one of the best players against Mexico. He finished off a penetrating run down the left side of the Jamaican box by lifting the ball over the shoulder of Jamaican ‘keeper Andre Blake and an early 11th-minute lead.

Jamaica responded to the USA’s solo effort with one of their own as star forward Michail Antonio fired a long-distance blast that easily beat U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen and tucked in under the crossbar.

The Jamaicans were desperate for three points from this game to make up ground in the standings. And the Reggae Boyz will be disappointed by a penalty that wasn’t called in the first half on a Chris Richards arm deflection in the box, though the arm was tucked in.
But it wasn’t just about the officials. Jamaica’s Bobby Reid also missed an incredible 53rd-minute chance inside the six-yard box that he’ll want to have back.

The result keeps the USA on track to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It returns in January with two home games (vs. El Salvador and vs. Honduras) and a road match against Canada. The picture is bleak for Jamaica, which has plenty of ground to make up before the rest of the results are in on Matchday 8.

Jamaica vs. USA final score
1H 2H Final
Jamaica 1 0 1
USA 1 0 1
Goals:
USA — Timothy Weah — 11th min.
JAM — Michail Antonio — 22nd min.

(All times Eastern)

Final: Jamaica 1, USA 1
84th min.: Jamaica scores but it's disallowed by the referee! A header on a corner by Damion Lowe hits the back of the net, but the referee rules that Lowe held Walker Zimmerman down when he went up for it. Replays show that was a really questionable call.
83rd min.: Neither team really panicking yet to get a goal. Jamaica's got to turn it up at some point.

78th min.: SUBS - USA brings on Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola for Ricardo Pepi and Brenden Aaronson as the Americans look to nick a goal to win it.

74th min.: Now it's Ravel Morrison unleashing a shot for Jamaica. Those subs are bringing an energy to the Reggae Boyz. They need these three points.

73rd min.: What a chance for Jamaica! Michail Antonio gets the ball past a charging Zack Steffen, but there are no teammates following the play and the USA clears.

68th min.: SUBS - Triple sub for Jamaica. Junior Flemming, Ravel Morrison and Anthony Grant are in for Bobby Reid, Lamar Walker and Je-Vaughn Watson.

66th min.: SUBS - Christian Pulisic and Kellyn Acosta come into the match for Tim Weah and Yunus Musah. Perhaps Pulisic and Acosta can bring some quality to the game, which has been brutally poor.

53rd min.: What a miss by Jamaica's Bobby Reid. A poor Antonee Robinson clearance falls to Reid who was alone in the six-yard box and he blasts it high of the goal with Zack Steffen closing the angle. Incredible miss.
52nd min.: USA's turn for a shot outside the box. Gianluca Busio in an advanced position blasts a right-footed shot that just misses the crossbar.
51st min.: The fan atmosphere is not a factor in Kingston. Only 5,000 fans were allowed and it doesn't feel like there are 5,000 there. All you hear are horns.
48th min.: It's Jamaica with the first chance of the second half. After a set piece the ball pops out to Leigh, who rips a left-footed shot that high of the target.

46th min.: Second half underway. Jamaica left back Kemar Lawrence has to come out of the game with Greg Leigh replacing him. No changes for the USA.

Halftime: Jamaica 1, USA 1
40th min.: Speaking of VAR -- Jamaica right back Javain Brown goes flying in with a two-footed lunge on U.S. captain Tyler Adams and he takes him out. If there were VAR, that'd be a red card.

38th min.: Leon Bailey kept in check by USA's Antonee Robinson down the attacking right. Jamaica earns a corner, but nothing comes of it. Half-hearted appeal for a Jamaica penalty after a ball was whipped into the box, but the referee isn't going for it. Replays show it came off Chris Richards's shoulder. No hand ball. Reminder: No VAR in CONCACAF.

34th min.: Teams playing between penalty boxes and with the odd foul. It's telling that this match has been defined by two solo efforts. Not much build-up from either team.

22nd min.: What a goal by Michail Antonio! If you're a U.S. fan or goalkeeper Zack Steffen, you tip your cap to the West Ham man with a blast from 30 yards out that he blasted under the bar. What power behind that one.
21st min.: USMNT waste a free kick out to the left. Gianluca Busio with the ball straight out of play.

16th min.: Two big saves on point-blank shots by Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake! That U.S. goal has shifted the momentum in the USA's favor for the moment.

11th min.: Goal USA! Out of nowhere a moment of brilliance from Timothy Weah who made a penetrating solo run down the left and lifted the ball over the shoulder of Andre Blake from a tough angle. What you might not know about Weah: His mom is Jamaican.
10th min.: No rhythm to this game. No sustained possession. Sloppy and choppy start to this for both teams.

8th min.: First yellow of the match and of course it's Je-Vaughn Watson. Wild challenge on Gianluca Busio.

1st min.: We're off. USA pinned in its own half to start the match. Chris Richards is the left center back, with Walker Zimmerman in his customary right center back spot.

3:53 p.m.: Young lineup. But can it get the job done?
Jamaica vs. USA lineups
In a must-win home game, Bailey and Antonio start. Manager Theodore Whitmore has made two changes on his back line with Liam Moore coming in for veteran center back Adrian Mariappa and Javain Brown taking over at right back for Oniel Fisher, who isn't even listed on the bench.

Jamaica starting lineup (4-2-3-1, left to right): 1-Andre Blake-GK — 20-Kemar Lawrence, 17-Damion Lowe, 6-Liam Moore, 14-Javain Brown — 22-Devon "Speedy" Williams, 15-Je-Vaughn Watson — 21-Lamar Walker, 10-Bobby Reid, 7-Leon Bailey — 18-Michail Antonio

Jamaica subs (10): Dwayne Miller-GK, Jeadine White-GK, Alvas Powell, Greg Leigh, Adrian Mariappa, Anthony Grant, Ravel Morrison, Junior Flemmings, Cory Burke, Shamar Nicholson

Already without the injured Sergino Dest and Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie (yellow cards) and Miles Robinson (red card) are out for the U.S. because of suspension, and both will leave significant holes. Gianluca Busio and Chris Richards are the replacements. Those were the only forced changes from the win over Mexico.
Christian Pulisic starts on the bench with the three-man front line of Aaronson-Pepi-Weah that worked so well against Mexico, getting another start.

USA starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 1-Zack Steffen-GK — 5-Antonee Robinson, 15-Chris Richards, 3-Walker Zimmerman, 2-DeAndre Yedlin — 16-Gianluca Busio, 4-Tyler Adams (capt.), 6-Yunus Musah — 11-Brenden Aaronson, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 20-Tim Weah

USA subs (12): 13-Matt Turner-GK, 22-Reggie Cannon, 18-Mark McKenzie, 8-James Sands, 12-Joe Scally, 21-Sam Vines, 23-Kellyn Acosta, 17-Sebastian Lletget, 14-Cristian Roldan, 10-Christian Pulisic, 7-Paul Arriola, 19-Jesus Ferreira

How to watch Jamaica vs. USA
Date: Tues, Nov. 16
Time: 5 p.m. ET
TV Channels: Universo
Streaming: fuboTV , Paramount+
Jamaica vs. U.S. will air on Universo (Spanish) and Paramount+ (English) with the Universo feed available via stream on fuboTV . New users can try fuboTV on a free 7-day trial .

There will be 5,000 fans expected in Kingston’s National Stadium, around 15 percent of capacity. That’s still more than the Jamaicans had at their past two qualifying home games, in which they failed to register a victory.

CONCACAF 2022 World Cup Qualifying: Schedule, standings, TV for soccer Octagonal

We're now into the second half of the qualifying schedule and it's Canada at the top of the CONCACAF 2022 World Cup qualifying standings.

A 2-1 home win over Mexico allowed the Canadians to overtake the USA atop the eight-team table. Canada is the only remaining unbeaten team in qualifying as it continues to push to qualify for its first World Cup since 1986.

The USA (2nd, 15 points) and Mexico (3rd, 14 points), long the powers of the region, are now chasing. Meanwhile, Panama continued its surge with another dramatic come-from-behind victory to go level with Mexico on 14 points. The top three teams earn automatic berths to the World Cup, while fourth-place earns passage to a play-in series for one of the final spots in Qatar 2022.

The other half of the table is in precarious position. A group of three teams — Costa Rica (5th), Jamaica (6th), El Salvador (7th) — is now between 5-8 points behind Panama for fourth place. Meanwhile, it's looking unlikely that Honduras will be able to recover from its last-place point total. 

The first standings tiebreakers are (1) goal difference, (2) goals scored and (3) most points obtained from matches between teams that are tied. The full list of tiebreakers and results for Matchdays 1-7 follow at the bottom of this post.

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Standings & Results
Team PTS GP W L D GF GA GD

  1. Canada 16 8 4 0 4 13 5 +8
  2. USA 15 8 4 1 3 12 5 +7
  3. Mexico 14 8 4 2 2 11 7 +4
  4. Panama 14 8 4 2 2 11 9 +2
  5. Costa Rica 9 8 2 3 3 6 7 -1
  6. Jamaica 7 8 1 3 4 6 10 -4
  7. El Salvador 6 8 1 4 3 4 10 -6
  8. Honduras 3 8 0 5 3 5 15 -10
    Matchday 8
    Date Match
    Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 Jamaica 1 , USA 1 Highlights
    Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 Costa Rica 2 , Honduras 1 Highlights
    Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 Panama 2 , El Salvador 1 Highlights
    Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 Canada 2, Mexico 1 Highlights
    Matchday 9
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 Honduras vs. Canada TBD TBD
    Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 USA vs. El Salvador TBD TBD
    Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 Costa Rica vs. Panama TBD TBD
    Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 Jamaica vs. Mexico TBD TBD
    Matchday 10
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 Canada vs. USA TBD TBD
    Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 Honduras vs. El Salvador TBD TBD
    Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 Mexico vs. Costa Rica TBD TBD
    Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 Panama vs. Jamaica TBD TBD
    Matchday 11
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 El Salvador vs. Canada TBD TBD
    Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 USA vs. Honduras TBD TBD
    Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 Mexico vs. Panama TBD TBD
    Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 Jamaica vs. Costa Rica TBD TBD
    Matchday 12
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Thurs, March 24, 2022 Costa Rica vs. Canada TBD TBD
    Thurs, March 24, 2022 Panama vs. Honduras TBD TBD
    Thurs, March 24, 2022 Jamaica vs. El Salvador TBD TBD
    Thurs, March 24, 2022 Mexico vs. USA TBD TBD
    Matchday 13
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Sun, March 27, 2022 Canada vs. Jamaica TBD TBD
    Sun, March 27, 2022 Honduras vs. Mexico TBD TBD
    Sun, March 27, 2022 El Salvador vs. Costa Rica TBD TBD
    Sun, March 27, 2022 USA vs. Panama TBD TBD
    Matchday 14
    Date Match Time (ET) Stream
    Wed, March 30, 2022 Panama vs. Canada TBD TBD
    Wed, March 30, 2022 Jamaica vs. Honduras TBD TBD
    Wed, March 30, 2022 Mexico vs. El Salvador TBD TBD
    Wed, March 30, 2022 Costa Rica vs. USA TBD TBD
    CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying results & highlights
    Matchday 1
    Date Match
    Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 Canada 1, Honduras 1 Highlights
    Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 Panama 0, Costa Rica 0 Highlights
    Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 Mexico 2, Jamaica 1 Highlights
    Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 El Salvador 0, USA 0 Highlights
    Matchday 2
    Date Match
    Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 Jamaica 0, Panama 3 Highlights
    Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 Costa Rica 0, Mexico 1 Highlights
    Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 El Salvador 0, Honduras 0 Highlights
    Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 USA 1, Canada 1 Highlights
    Matchday 3
    Date Match
    Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 Canada 3, El Salvador 0 Highlights
    Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 Panama 1, Mexico 1 Highlights
    Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 Costa Rica 1, Jamaica 1 Highlights
    Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 Honduras 1, USA 4 Highlights
    Matchday 4
    Date Match
    Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 USA 2, Jamaica 0 Highlights
    Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 Honduras 0, Costa Rica 0 Highlights
    Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 Mexico 1, Canada 1 Highlights
    Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 El Salvador 1, Panama 0 Highlights
    Matchday 5
    Date Match
    Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 Panama 1, USA 0 Highlights
    Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 Jamaica 0, Canada 0 Highlights
    Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 Costa Rica 2, El Salvador 1 Highlights
    Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 Mexico 3, Honduras 0 Highlights
    Matchday 6
    Date Match
    Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 USA 2, Costa Rica 1 Highlights
    Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 Canada 4, Panama 1 Highlights
    Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 Honduras 0, Jamaica 2 Highlights
    Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 El Salvador 0, Mexico 2 Highlights
    Matchday 7
    Date Match
    Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 Honduras 2 , Panama 3 Highlights
    Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 USA 2 , Mexico 0 Highlights
    Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 Canada 1 , Costa Rica 0 Highlights
    Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 El Salvador 1 , Jamaica 1 Highlights
    How CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying works
    Eight nations from the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) are competing for three automatic berths to the 2022 Qatar World Cup in the final "octagonal" qualifying round.

The eight countries are facing off in a round-robin format with each team playing the other seven opponents once at home and once on the road. The 14 total matches for each national team began in September 2021 and will wrap up in March 2022.

The top three finishers will earn automatic berths to Qatar, while the fourth-place team will head to an intercontinental playoff with a final ticket to Qatar on the line. Here are the standings tiebreakers for teams even on points:

Goal difference in all group matches
Most goals scored in all group matches
Most points obtained from group matches between teams concerned
Goal difference from group matches between teams concerned
Most goals scored in group matches between teams concerned
Goals scored away from home (if two teams tied)
Discipline points (based on yellow/red cards)
Drawing of lots by FIFA
The Qatar World Cup will be played from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, 2022.