Mexico and the United States continued to impress in World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday while Paulo Wanchope scored an injury-time winner as Costa Rica beat Guatemala 3-2 after throwing away a two-goal lead.

Mexico had to wait until the last half hour to beat Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 at home while the US goals all came in the first half as they won 3-0 in Panama.

The region's 'big two' remained firmly on course for Germany [Images] next year as the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers reached the halfway mark.

Mexico lead with 13 points from five games with their neighbours one behind. They are followed by Costa Rica (7), Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago (4) and Panama (2).

The top three teams qualify directly for the World Cup and the fourth plays off against the fifth-placed team from Asia.

Trinidad, whose Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker has had several stints with Mexican clubs, frustrated Mexico for over an hour in Monterrey.

The Soca Warriors were even close to taking a shock lead when a Dwight Yorke header flew narrowly wide of Oswaldo Sanchez's goal in the 59th minute.

Jared Borgetti, with his 12th goal of the qualifiers, broke through in the 64th minute and Luis Perez, who plays for local club Monterrey, made the game safe in the 88th.

The US, who needed an injury-time goal to draw 1-1 with Panama when they met in an earlier stage of the qualifiers last year, had no such problems the second time around.

Defender Carlos Bocanegra headed them in front from a corner in the eighth minute.

Fourteen minutes later, forward Landon Donovan added to the two goals he scored in Saturday's 3-0 win over Costa Rica when he headed in Steve Ralston's cross.

US goalkeeper Kasey Keller produced a stunning triple save to deny Julio Medina III and Felipe Baloy, while Ricardo Phillips and Jose Luis Garces also went close for Panama.

However, the contest was put beyond doubt when Brian McBride added a third two minutes before halftime.

Free kicks by Carlos Hernandez and Ronald Gomez in the 34th and 66th minutes put Costa Rica in control on the Saprissa stadium's artificial pitch before Edwin Villatoro and Mario Rodriguez scored twice in three minutes to level.

Guatemala were playing for time when former West Ham and Manchester City striker Wanchope snapped up a loose ball to fire home in the 92nd minute.

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