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World-Group rivals may be too strong for Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, May 21 (Reuters) - Honduras have already exceeded expectations by just getting to the World Cup finals. Anything else would be a bonus.
Scraping in from the CONCACAF qualifiers thanks to a last-gasp equaliser in a match far away in the United States, Honduras have ended a 28-year wait to get to their second finals.
"The biggest challenge will be to get past the (group) round. If one is realistic about the capacity of the teams we face one realises that it's possible we'll be out," Rueda told Reuters in a recent interview.
"But there is the dream of having to play for it all on the pitch, that everything's possible in football."
Argentine Mario Zanabria, coach of local first division club Real Espana, was more down to earth.
"Chile is the revelation of the Americas, Spain is the best national team in the world and Switzerland have a German coach," he said of the Hondurans' Group H opponents.
"The Swiss are (like) a clock, you can't find space, they don't give away anything, they're soldiers," he told Reuters. "If Honduras have a decorous World Cup, that's good enough. To think of passing the (first) round, it gets complicated."
Honduras, who were at the 1982 finals in Spain, did their bit in the qualifiers by beating El Salvador 1-0 away on the final day.
However, to finish third rather than fourth and go into a playoff with the fifth-placed South American team, they were dependent on Costa Rica not beating the U.S.
The Costa Ricans went two goals up but the North Americans fought back for a 2-2 draw with a late equaliser to send Honduras through.
Honduras have strong athletic players with considerable ball skills but they are easily thrown off their game by a team with a stronger tactical discipline.
They will have their work cut out to win a point in a tough group but a surprise is not out of the question and they have had a good build-up to the tournament under coach Reinaldo Rueda.
They have a prolific scorer in Carlos Pavon, while Wilson Palacios can create attacking chances. The side have largely managed to escape injury apart from the unfortunate Carlo Costly, son of 1982 veteran Anthony Costly, who fractured a bone in his foot close to the finals.
World-Factbox on Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, May 21 (Reuters) - Factbox on the Honduras team who are in Group H at the World Cup in South Africa:
Colours: Blue and white striped shirt, blue shorts, blue socks.
Nickname: Los catrachos (a local name for Hondurans)
Previous World Cup appearances - 1: 1982
Best World Cup performance: Group stage
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda (Colombian)
Most capped player: Amado Guevara 133
Top goalscorer: Carlos Pavon 57
Talking points:
They are strong on athleticism and speed but short on the Latin skills they will need against Chile and Spain. They also struggle to remain concentrated tactically for a full 90 minutes.
Players to watch:
Maynor Figueroa for his left foot, Danilo Turcios for ghosting into scoring positions, Wilson Palacios for all-round midfield work rate, Carlos Pavon for chasing everything down in the box
World-Penpix of Honduras squad
TEGUCIGALPA, June 4 (Reuters) - Penpix of Honduras's 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa:
18-Noel Valladares (Olimpia). Goalkeeper. Born May 3 1977. Caps 73.
Generally gets the nod from coach Reinaldo Rueda ahead of younger club team mate Donis Escober who has been competing strongly to be considered first choice at Olimpia. Good on his line but not so commanding off his area or in the air.
22-Donis Escober (Olimpia). Goalkeeper. Born Feb. 3 1981. Caps 11.
Agile, athletic and a rarity in Honduran football with good command of his area, he is a good understudy for club colleague Valladares, threatening to take over in the Olimpia goal and could do the same in the national team at the finals.
1-Ricardo Canales (Motagua). Goalkeeper. Born May 30 1982. Caps 3.
Third-choice keeper has excellent reflexes on his line though is suspect when he comes out for crosses or to meet an attacker one-on-one.
23-Sergio Mendoza (Motagua). Defender. Born May 23 1981. Caps 49. Goals 1.
Having served a 12-month suspension for doping last year, he was recalled by Rueda this year though he may be only a stand-in at the finals behind the more mobile Mauricio Sabillon in the right back position.
21-Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua). Defender. Born May 10 1986. Caps 40. Goals 1.
One of Honduras's strong points is their attacking down the left flank with Izaguirre a good winger who likes to cut inside into the box but can also deliver a good cross.
16-Mauricio Sabillon (Hangzhou Greentown). Defender. Born Nov. 11 1978. Caps 25.
One of several Honduran players who have moved to the Chinese league, he is among three at Hangzhou. Part of Rueda's first-choice back four with fast, attacking fullbacks who can alternate in attack with the outer midfielders.
2-Osman Chavez (Platense). Defender. Born July 29 1984. Caps 28.
Strong though slow centre back nicknamed "The Tender One" whose forte is in the air but can struggle with nippy forwards on the ground. Sought a move abroad but returned to Platense to secure regular first-team football.
4-Johnny Palacios (Olimpia). Defender. Born Dec. 10 1986. Caps 7.
Tall centre back, likely reserve at the finals, a brother of midfielder Wilson. Their youngest footballing sibling Edwin was kidnapped in 2007 and found dead 18 months later.
3-Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic). Defender. Born May 2 1983. Caps 68. Goals 2.
A central defender for his country who plays at left back for his Premier League club. Praised by club coach Steve Bruce for a "superb left foot", which he used to great effect when scoring a brilliant goal against Stoke City with a free kick from inside the Wigan half.
5-Victor Bernardez (Anderlecht). Defender. Born May 24 1982. Caps 40. Goals 1.
Experienced defender who had risked not making it into the squad by staying with the newly-crowned Belgian champions despite generally starting on the bench.
14-Boniek Garcia (Olimpia). Defender/Midfielder. Born Sept. 4 1984. Caps 43.
Versatile player who gives Rueda options, being comfortable at right back or on the wing. Has come back from groin surgery in February.
6-Hendry Thomas (Wigan Athletic). Midfielder. Born Feb. 23 1985. Caps 40. Goals 2.
Goes into World Cup from an impressive first season in England's Premier League. A defensive midfielder who is quick to set up a counter-attack.
20-Amado Guevara (Motagua). Midfielder. Born May 2 1976. Caps 134. Goals 29.
Captain and holder of the Honduran caps record, who has played in six different countries. A former attacking midfielder, "Lobo" is now more comfortable prompting play from deeper positions. Returned from Toronto to ensure regular first-team football ahead of the finals.
8-Wilson Palacios (Tottenham Hotspur). Midfielder. Born July 29 1984. Caps 69. Goals 5.
One of the biggest talents to come out of Honduras and play in Europe, he is a combative central midfielder who likes getting into scoring positions. Almost quit football when his kidnapped younger brother Edwin was found dead last year.
19-Danilo Elvis Turcios (Olimpia). Midfielder. Born May 8 1978. Caps 81. Goals 7.
A busy all-round midfielder, generally known as Dani or Elvis, likely to be first choice on the right, with a good eye for goal and dangerous at free kicks. He also takes corners.
10-Julio Cesar de Leon (Torino). Midfielder. Born Sept. 13 1979. Caps 76. Goals 14.
A left winger nicknamed "Rambo", who has spent the better part of his career in Italy where he started at Reggina in 2001. Opted to stay with Torino in Serie B to ensure plenty of playing time ahead of the finals.
7-Ramon Nunez (Olimpia). Midfielder. Born Nov. 14 1985. Caps 18. Goals 3.
A creative midfielder with good ball skills but sometimes selfish. Grew up in the United States and first played professional football in the MLS for Dallas. He has also played in Mexico.
17-Edgar Alvarez (Bari). Midfielder. Born Jan. 9 1980. Caps 47. Goals 3.
His principal assets as a right wing are his speed on the ball and racing into space, making him very hard to mark for defenders. Has played in Italy since 2004.
13-Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards). Midfielder. Born Oct. 25 1986. Caps 11. Goals 3.
Midfielder who has lived in the United States since he was 12, emerging from the college game, and never played club football in Honduras. A keen snowboarder.
15-Walter Martinez (Marathon). Forward. Born March 24 1982. Caps 35. Goals 11.
Nicknamed "Pery", he is the smaller option up front when Rueda wants a more mobile partner for a big centre-forward or he can play in the hole behind a pair of strikers.
12-Georgie Welcome (Motagua). Forward. Born March 9 1985. Caps 12. Goals 3.
A tall, gangly striker, dangerous in the air, he was called up by Rueda for the first time in 2008 when spotted playing for second division club Arsenal, a rare route into the national team in Honduras.
9-Carlos Pavon (Real Espana). Forward. Born Oct. 9 1973. Caps 100. Goals 57.
An icon in Honduras where he recently agreed to become the figurehead for a campaign to prevent violence against women. A prolific scorer who has played in half a dozen countries including the U.S. where he joined LA Galaxy at the same time as David Beckham in 2007 but stayed only six months.
11-David Suazo (Genoa). Forward. Born Nov. 5 1979. Caps 51. Goals 15.
First-choice striker who won a race against time to recover from a right leg muscle injury. Has played in Italy since 1999, first with Cagliari, and now on loan to Genoa from Inter Milan.
Roster
Trainer
Reinaldo Rueda Played
Goalkeeper
18 Noel Valladares
1 Ricardo Canales
22 Donis Escober
Defender
21 Emilio Izaguirre
3 Maynor Figueroa
14 Oscar García
5 Víctor Bernárdez
2 Osman Chávez
16 Mauricio Sabillón
4 Johnny Palacios
23 Sergio Mendoza
Midfielder
10 Julio César León
19 Elvis Danilo Turcios
20 Amado Guevara
7 Ramón Núñez
8 Wilson Palacios
6 Hendry Thomas
13 Roger Espinoza
23 Sergio Mendoza
17 Edgar Alvarez
Forward
11 David Suazo
9 Carlos Alberto Pavón
15 Wálter Martínez
13 Roger Espinoza
12 George Welcome
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