U.S. soccer team on the road vs. Honduras

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 10, 2009

For Hondurans, tonight's World Cup qualifier is an opportunity to unite during a political crisis that's stretched on since June. For U.S. players, it's a chance to clinch a spot in next year's 32-nation field in South Africa.

"For me personally, and I think would I speak for the guys who were in Germany in 2006, this would be an opportunity at redemption in some ways," forward Landon Donovan said yesterday as the United States prepared for the big match in Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.

Everything was pretty much normal at the U.S. hotel, with the usual amount of security but nothing extraordinary. A few American fans were in the lobby seeking autographs.

While police fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters in the capital of Tegucigalpa, that is about a 4-hour drive across mountains from San Pedro Sula, Honduras' No. 2 city.

The United States (5-2-1) leads North and Central America and the Caribbean with 16 points with two games remaining, followed by Mexico (5-3) with 15, Honduras (4-3-1) with 13 and Costa Rica (4-4) with 12 points.

The top three teams qualify, and the No. 4 finisher meets South American's fifth-place team in a home-and-home playoff.

The U.S. would clinch with a win, if Costa Rica loses at home to already eliminated Trinidad and Tobago (1-5-2) or with a tie combined with a Costa Rican loss or tie. If the Americans don't clinch tonight, they could assure themselves a berth on Wednesday with a tie or win against Costa Rica at Washington, D.C.

"We go into this game with an opportunity to go for it," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "The idea is to go for three points, to be aggressive and leave it all on the field."

Coming off first-round elimination at the 2006 tournament, the 11th-ranked U.S. is seeking its sixth straight World Cup berth.