Guatemala's goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez (right) and Jamaica's Dane Richards battle for the ball during the Gold Cup.

MIAMI, Florida:

One of Jamaica's main rivals for a place in football's 2014 World Cup finals is touting the Reggae Boyz among the dangerous, fast- rising powers expected to seriously challenge for qualifying places from the CONCACAF region.

Even as Honduras head coach Luis Suarez counted his team, along with the United States, Mexico and Costa Rica, as the usual suspects expected to vie for one of CONCACAF's four possible places to Brazil - three automatic and one through a playoff - he also listed Jamaica and Panama as two countries to be watched closely as both, he explained, are making a big push to be among the region's elite.

"The possibilities now, the people think, are Mexico, US, Costa Rica, Honduras," Suarez said in an interview conducted through interpreter Edwin Banegas, the team's press officer, following Honduras' 1-0 loss the US on Saturday night here.

"But I think, two teams, Jamaica and Panama, now it's different. The possibilities are the same for Costa Rica, US, Mexico, Honduras. But Panama and Jamaica too." Suarez is impressed with Jamaica's talent, particularly the speed and technical ability of the players, which make the Boyz a big challenge for Honduras.

"Like England," he said, "the football of Jamaica is like England. Very quick. And Honduras needs to cover its back."

Jamaica, currently ranked 45th in the FIFA World Rankings, after dropping two places, left a lasting mark on the Central Americans at this year's CONCACAF Gold Cup by beating them 1-0 in a group match in New Jersey. It was possibly the Boyz's finest performances of the tournament. The two teams meet again tomorrow in Honduras.

But CONCACAF's other main contenders are not separated by much in the world rankings. Gold Cup champions Mexico lead the pack at 20th. The US have dropped to 31st, while Panama and Honduras are tied at the 53rd spot. Costa Rica are ranked at 57th.

Jamaica's edge over their CONCACAF rivals could be in attack, where the Boyz boast several players with pace and skill. Suarez also senses Jamaica's front line and overall team gelling as a unit as well.

"I respect the ability of the strikers, individually," Suarez said. "But the most important thing about Jamaica is the team. I respect the team, but I respect everyone."

Honduras head coach Luis Suarez.

He is also lamenting the sluggish recent form of his own offensive unit. Against the US, Honduras, primarily through Carlo Costly, Roger Espinoza, Juilo Cesar de Leon and Boniek Garcia, did trouble the Americans, but wasted their limited chances or were thwarted by goalkeeper Tim Howard. Costly will be unavailable against Jamaica, but Honduras have the ability to bounce back and avenge the 1-0 loss to the Boyz in the Gold Cup.

Suarez said even without the forced absence of Costly, and Mavin Chavez, because of club commitments, he would have reshuffled his line-up against Jamaica, for the friendly international in Honduras, from the one which faced the US on Saturday.

"I will maybe make changes next Tuesday," he said.

"I don't know (who) yet, but we'll make a change."

It is part of the plan to extend the Boyz's four-game losing streak and prove the Hondurans are capable of fending off Jamaica's looming threat in the region, especially with World Cup qualifiers heating up for both teams next year..

"We can do it," said Suarez. "We can answer."