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Away wins boost Canada and Panama World Cup hopes

MIAMI (Reuters) -- Canada and Panama both came out of tricky away games with important wins in World Cup qualifying games in the North and Central America and Caribbean region on Tuesday.

Canada now have the maximum six points from two games in CONCACAF Group D after they enjoyed a 3-0 victory at Puerto Rico thanks to goals from Iain Hume (41), Simeon Jackson 984) and Tosaint Ricketts (89).

Canada lead by two points from St Kitts and Nevis who enjoyed an impressive 4-2 win at Caribbean rivals St. Lucia after leading 4-0 at half-time.

Panama's Blas Perez grabbed the winner in the Group C clash with Nicaragua -- the striker's 50th minute winner securing the victory in the opening game for Los Canaleros in Group C.

In Group B, Trinidad and Tobago earned a 2-0 win away to Barbados thanks to goals from Keon Danile and Darryl Roberts.

The Soca Warriors are level on two points with Guyana who beat Bermuda 2-1 thanks to two second half strikes from Vurlon Mills.

Guatemala lead Group E with two wins from two following their 2-1 victory away to Belize but the biggest goal feast of the night came with Antigua and Barbuda's 8-1 away win over U.S. Virgin Islands -- Peter Byers notching a hat-trick while Randolph Burton scored twice.

El Salvador look well set as they picked up their second victory with a 4-1 triumph in the Cayman Islands with Luis Anaya scoring twice.

The six group winners in the current second stage of qualifying go through to face the top-six ranked teams in the region in the third phase.

The top three teams at the end of the fourth phase of qualifying, involving six teams, will qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with the fourth placed team heading into a playoff with the top team from Oceania.