Carlos Hernandez netted a pair of second-half goals to go along with Paulo Wanchope's 33rd-minute strike as Costa Rica rolled to a 3-0 victory over the United States on Saturday.

Costa Rica become the third North and Central America and Caribbean region team to qualify for next year's World Cup.

The US (6-2-1), which already had clinched its place in Germany next year along with Mexico, had been unbeaten in its last six qualifiers - all shutouts.

The scoreless streak ended when goalkeeper Tim Howard, making his first start for the national team in 2005, made a diving save but could not control the slippery ball.

Wanchope pounced on it to put Costa Rica (5-3-1) ahead.

Hernandez doubled the advantage in the 60th minute when he fired a low-driving shot, which beat a diving Howard to the right side to send the devoted and wet crowd at Saprissa Stadium into a frenzy.

He added another tally in the 88th minute to cap the scoring and secure another trip to the championship tournament for Costa Rica, which also joined Mexico and the US in the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.

Unlike the last World Cup, CONCACAF will have a chance to send a fourth team to next year's tournament.

The fourth-place team will face either Uzbekistan or Bahrain for a World Cup slot in a home-and-away playoff.

Trinidad and Tobago (3-5-1) put itself in the driver's seat for that slot after posting a 1-0 win at last-place Panama (0-7-2) along with Guatemala's 5-2 loss at Mexico (7-1-1).

Qualifiers wrap up Wednesday when US hosts Panama, Trinidad hosts Mexico and Guatemala (2-5-2) entertains Costa Rica.