Well, that was ... something. A tough game for the United States but they escape with the crucial point and remain in good shape for a top-three spot. We’ll leave the last word to Landon Donovan. Do check back later for Bob Williams’ full match report.
Went through 4 WCQ cycles and none of them were easy or pretty. All that matters is getting to the WC. Huge point today 👏🏻⚽️🇺🇸 #USAvCRC
— Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) September 5, 2017
Full time: Honduras 1-1 USA
And there’s the final whistle and the United States will “settle” for a point. The Americans are squarely in control of their own destiny with two games remaining in the Hex, which is more that can be said for the hosts, who will need a bit of help over next month’s final set of matches in order to punch their ticket to Russia.
90 min+3: The denouement grows worse for Honduras as Henry Figueroa picks up a second yellow. Los Catrachos will finish the match with 10 men and Figueroa will miss the next qualifier against Costa Rica.
90 min: Fourth official signals for three minutes of injury time.
88 min: The US have dropped back and appear satisfied to escape San Pedro Sula the point. And who could blame them after the first 84 minutes?
Well one person, at least.
No, don't drop off. Honduras are sapped- push for the win and all 3. Fresh legs, feed Wood
— Stuart Holden (@stuholden) September 5, 2017
Updated
GOAL! Honduras 1-1 USA (Wood, 85 min)
Acosta blasts it on goal and it caroms off the crossbar, but Wood is there to poke home an equalizer! Great first touch by Wood to bring it down with his chest and deposit it home!
🇺🇸GOOOAAAAL: It's a mess, but @BobbyS_Wood to the rescue for #USMNT! #USAvHON pic.twitter.com/FbtF4b6ToS
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 5, 2017
Updated
84 min: Pulisic is slammed into right in front of the referee, dead on about 35 yards from the goal. A chance.
82 min: Final sub for Honduras as Johnny Palacios comes on for Antony Lozano, who is taking his time making his way off.
77 min: Two chances by Honduras in quick succession: the first a weak attempt on net from the middle of the box off a cross from the right side, the latter moments later off a counter when Lozano has a clear breakaway off a 4-v-3 but puts it off the wrong side of the woodwork. That should have been curtains.
74 min: A poor clearance by Honduras gives Dempsey a clear shot at goal but he misses the target. Out for a USA corner, but nothing comes of it.
73 min: Honduras tries to send a ball behind the USA’s back four but the offside flag goes up. Now Bobby Wood is coming on for Nagbe. Arena leaving Morris on. Two frontrunners in the team for the US, who will be going all out for an equalizer.
71 min: Well, play has resumed and Lopez looks spry as ever. Might have been wrong about that last bit.
68 min: Lopez, the Honduras keeper, is down and appears to be hurt. Looks like his knee. This doesn’t look like gamesmanship. The training staff are on the pitch and it looks like the hosts might have to make a substitutions. They’ve already used two of theirs.
66 min: Now the goalscorer Quioto exits in place Oscar Boniek Garcia. No shortage of Houston Dynamo alumni on the pitch at the moment. Most of the action over the middle third over the last few minutes.
64 min: For Honduras, Carlo Costly enters for Alex Lopez.
63 min: Two subs for the United States. Cameron on for Zusi, while Arriola enters for Beasley. USA switching to a 3-5-2 formation with Arriola and Pulisic moving into the middle.
61 min: Acosta shown a yellow for a succession of fouls from behind.
60 min: Let’s bear in mind what’s at stake. A draw would be a completely suitable result for the United States. Should they come away with nothing over the next half hour, they’ll likely need to win their final two games next month against Panama and Trinidad and Tobago to even force a two-leg playoff against the fifth-place team from the Asian confederation.
59 min: A long ball to Pulisic and he’s dispossessed cleanly, leading to yet another quick counter. This time Honduras can’t link up cleanly and it goes out for a goal kick. An hour in, nearly. Just a brutal showing by the United States.
Updated
56 min: Pulisic runs directly at Alvarado and topples over the Honduran defender. He’s fortunate to get a whistle and the US will have a free kick from a dangerous area. Dempsey standing over it, perhaps as a decoy? No, Dempsey takes it and it slams directly into the wall, kept in play but it goes directly into the head of Quioto and play stops.
52 min: Lozano gets behind the back four and has a go from the right side of the area, forcing a save by Guzan.
50 min: A bit of a slow patch over the first five minutes with no substantial threats on either end. Here’s a note from Mike Wilner, which echoes the prevailing sentiment.
Is defeat really an orphan? Or just dull, unimaginative soccer that led to a draw with Panama and home-and-away losses to Costa Rica? I feel like defending the orphans here. . .
46 min: And we’re off in the second half. A quick start for the US but a through ball is overcooked and easily corralled by the Honduras keeper. A bit of a damning stat, this.
#USMNT has one win in 38 World Cup qualifiers when trailing at half (1-32-5).
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) September 5, 2017
The win was at Panama in the 2013 Hex.
Updated
Victory has a thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan. Until then, however, some tactical suggestions from Richard McGahey, via email:
USA midfield, especially Bradley, has to drop back to control the attackers and then we have no service to the front. Did Dempsey even touch the ball in the last half hour? They are killing us on the flanks when they come forward with Beasley retreating and Zusi getting beaten. Maybe pull Acosta and Dempsey for Bedoya and Wood have to get some energy going forward.
Half-time: Honduras 1-0 USA
That’s it for the first half. Bad, bad, bad. The United States find themselves 45 minutes from falling into fourth place and, potentially, out of the playoff spot altogether should Panama defeat last-place Trinidad and Tobago.
Live look at #USMNT fullbacks Graham Zusi and DaMarcus Beasley at halftime. pic.twitter.com/URaDcujUKc
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) September 5, 2017
45 min+2: A free kick for the United States from about 45 yards. Last kick of the half most likely. Bradley takes it and it’s way, way off target. Oh well. There’s the whistle and a quarter hour of soul-searching awaits for Bruce Arena’s lot.
45 min: The fourth official calls for two minutes of injury time.
43 min: Elis loses his balance at the top of the area in the general vicinity of Acosta and the ref whistles for a foul. Oh dear! Edge of the box almost dead-on, a hugely dangerous opportunity for the US. It’s taken and it’s a thunderbolt by Figueroa and batted away by Guzan. What a save!
41 min: A wonderful run by Pulisic, who carries from the halfway line and gives to Morris before darting forward, receiving a pass from Morris and putting a shot on goal that’s parried away by Lopez. Truly a gifted run by the 18-year-old to make something from nothing, but still nothing to show for it.
40 min: A good first touch by Pulisic, who’s been MIA for the last half hour, finds Dempsey, who swings across to Nagbe in space, but his shot from the edge of the area curls well wide of the far post.
38 min: The United States’ failure to keep the ball has been killing them throughout the half. They’ve been on the back foot almost without pause. A note from Mike Wilner in Los Angeles via email:
Too soon to start shopping for a back-up team to root for in Russia instead of the US? It can’t be a heavyweight (Brazil, Spain, etc.). I’m leaning toward Northern Ireland, or maybe the Swedes. Your thoughts?
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Updated
36 min: Elis beats Beasley and Beasley has no choice but to take a grab of the Honduran attacker’s shirt. It slows down play with the referee awarding a free kick but lands the USA veteran in the book with a yellow.
34 min: A clever ball into Figueroa and he’s hacked down, giving Honduras a free kick from 20 yards or so. But López’s attempt sails way high and wide. Goal kick for the US. Honduras playing with confidence to burn and the US looking flat-footed and listless.
30 min: Honduras nearly make it two! Quioto making a mockery of Zusi down the left side and puts a shot on goal. Then another moments later. The ball is out for a goal kick and the teams take a spell for a mandatory water break due to the oppressively hot conditions.
GOAL! Honduras 1-0 USA (Quioto, 28 min)
A terrific ball is played up the left side to Quioto and he pounds it just inside the far post for his seventh international goal. Abysmal defending by Gonzalez and the central defense at large.
🇭🇳 GOOOOAAAAL: @RomellSamir strikes first, and #USMNT will have to wake up from an early nightmare! #USAvHON #WCQ2018 pic.twitter.com/cIvRMugIU2
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 5, 2017
Updated
25 min: Honduras on the break and catches the United States undermanned. Elis crosses in to Quioto, but Beasley arrives just in the nick of time and heads it away.
23 min: Henry Figueroa is shown a yellow card for a vicious challenge on Dempsey, giving the US a free kick from distance. Bradley sends it toward Gonzalez making a run on the far side but it well defended by the back line and easily tracked by Lopez.
19 min: The well organized US defense break up a Honduras attack before they can penetrate the final third, dispossessing in the midfield and playing it back to Guzan.
17 min: Dempsey is clotheslined by Jorge Claros and the Honduras midfielder is shown yellow, the first booking of the day.
Jorge Claros deservedly booked for a dangerous high foot on Dempsey. #Honduras #USMNT #HONvUSA #WCQ pic.twitter.com/DJC5HSL78h
— Jason Foster (@JogaBonitoUSA) September 5, 2017
Updated
13 min: Acosta, a step inside the area on the left side, chips it in to Dempsey on the far post but it’s well covered by Honduras. Nagbe doing well on the left side early on.
10 min: The Honduras corner is easily cleared and the US will try to build up from the back. Or not. A long ball up to Pulisic and he’s muscled out by Alvarado before he gets a touch. No whistle. So Concacaf. It’s over the touchline for a goal kick.
8 min: Now the US win a corner. Bradley takes it. It’s played into Morris but quickly to the foot of a Honduras defender and they’re lightning-fast on the counter. Down the pitch so quickly and Ellis tries to swing it into the area but it’s deflected out for a Honduras corner. Boy, that was quick.
5 min: Honduras win a corner, the game’s first. It’s played outside the box to Mejía, who plays it into the area. But a bit of roughhousing prompts a whistle from the referee.
4 min: Beasley hacked down Beckeles and the US will have a free kick from about 30 yards. Not the harshest foul, a bit of a gift from the referee to be fair. Bradley to take it. He swings it in to the edge of the area, just over the head of Besler and it’s booted out into the stands.
3 min: Some good link-up play by the Americans before Morris bounces a chance just wide. Promising sign for the visitors early.
1 min: And they’re off! Los Catrachos attacking from left to right in white strips with blue trim, the United States from right to left in their all-red away kits. Pulisic quickly carries up the right flank early and appears to put it out off a Honduras defender, but the referee rules possession to the hosts.
The sides have emerged from the tunnel. The anthems are playing. First an instrumental recording of the Star-Spangled Banner, followed by a vocal version of Himno Nacional de Honduras sung in full throat by most of the 35,000 souls in attendance, the rest joining in on the noisemaker accompaniment.
Michael Bradley wearing the captain’s armband for the US. The players taking their positions. Not much longer now.
Some bits and bobs ahead of today’s match, which should kick off in about 10 minutes’ time.
- Brad Guzan replaces Tim Howard to make his sixth start of World Cup qualifying. The veteran goalkeeper is 8-2-3 in 14 previous qualifiers and has gone 3-2-3 on the road, helping the US pick up points in six of eight matches.
- After earning his second yellow card of World Cup qualifying in Friday’s loss to Costa Rica, forward Jozy Altidore is serving a one-game suspension.
- Having become the first USA player to appear in qualifiers during five different World Cup cycles at Azteca Stadium in June, left back DaMarcus Beasley makes his second appearance of 2018 qualifying.
- The United States is 16-4-4 all-time v Honduras, 6-2-1 in World Cup qualifying and 3-1-1 in road qualifiers.
Updated
The teams!
Bruce Arena has made seven changes to the team that lost to Costa Rica on Friday, with Michael Bradley, Darlington Nagbe, Christian Pulisic and Graham Zusi staying in. Jordan Morris makes his first ever start in an away World Cup qualifier and Clint Dempsey moves past Landon Donovan into sole possession of first on the national team’s all-time World Cup qualifying caps list with 41.
Honduras
López, Beckeles, Álvarado, H Figueroa, M Figueroa, A López, Claros, Mejía, Quioto, Elis, Lozano
USA
Guzan, González, Acosta, Beasley, Suzi, Besler, Bradley, Pulisic, Nagbe, Morris, Dempsey
The #USMNT takes the field for warmups ahead of #USAvHON! #Get3 | 🇺🇸⚽️🇭🇳 pic.twitter.com/ksFzWOrLAF
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) September 5, 2017
Hello and welcome to Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula for today’s World Cup qualifier between Honduras and the United States. It’s a 92F afternoon (with 70% humidity!) at a sold-out stadium of 35,000 for a crucial match for both sides’ qualifying hopes.
The US enter today’s match in third place with eight points, level with Honduras but a comfortable eight goals ahead on goal difference and one point above fifth-place Panama. Above them are Mexico (17 points) and Costa Rica (14), with a top-three finish necessary for automatic qualification and the fourth-place team forced into a two-leg play-off with the fifth-place team from Asian and Australian confederation.
Needless to say, a defeat could prove devastating the United States’ hopes of qualifying for an eighth straight World Cup. So much on the line in a match that should get under way in a half hour’s time. We’ll have the teams to you momentarily.
Updated
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, Bruce Arena had some interesting thoughts on the US campaign so far:
Bruce Arena believes his team’s rocky qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup may have been influenced by US immigration policy.
Speaking before Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras in San Pedro Sula, Arena told reporters teams now want to beat the US to prove a point. “Our immigration policies are impacting people in Central America, right?” he said. “And there’s probably a little bit of anger over that. Then your national sport gets a chance to play the US. I’m sure that becomes very meaningful.”
By losing home games to Mexico in November and Costa Rica on Friday, the US need at least a draw against Honduras at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano to stay on track for the third and final automatic berth in Concacaf qualifying. A loss would mean that even with wins in their final two games next month, the Americans could wind up in a playoff against an Asian team or miss next year’s tournament entirely.
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