USA vs. Honduras: World Cup 2018 Qualifying Live Stream, Preview

Honduras will host the United States in a crucial Hexagonal match on Tuesday, with both teams looking for a ticket for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The Stars and Stripes currently sit third in the Hex thanks to a superior goal difference, while Panama are just one point back. Only the third-placed finisher receives a direct spot in the World Cup, with the fourth-placed team moving to the play-offs.

Here's everything you need to know about this pivotal match.

Date: Tuesday, September 5

Time: 10:30 p.m. BST/4:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula

Live Stream: BeIN Sports Connect

Preview

Whatever positivity the team had built up under manager Bruce Arena―including a lengthy unbeaten streak and the Gold Cup title―seems to have truly gone for the Americans after the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Costa Rica in New Jersey.

As shared by Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, Los Ticos have made life miserable on their rivals in the Hex:

He used strong language to sum up the performance:

The Stars and Stripes created some good chances with their talented attack―although they still fell well short of expectations―but the defence was a mess. A lack of top-end talent in the area is a major concern, and Arena may have to do some more puzzling to find a back line that can work for now.

Honduras don't have as much raw talent as Costa Rica, and the best strategy for Tuesday's clash may be to simply overpower the hosts. In seven matches, Los Catrachos have conceded no less than 15 goals in the Hex―the worst mark of any team, and a record that is indicative of clear defensive weaknesses.

David Madison/Getty Images

The Stars and Stripes' top attacking talents should be able to expose the Honduras defence if they hit their top level, and Christian Pulisic showed his quality at times against Los Ticos. If he, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore are on point, the Americans should score plenty of goals.

Defensively, Los Ticos took full advantage of mistakes from Geoff Cameron and Tim Ream―limiting those kinds of errors in Honduras would go a long way toward a win.

The USA don't need all three points in Honduras, with Panama and Trinidad & Tobago still on the schedule. A win would be a fantastic result ahead of the Panama clash in Orlando, but as long as Arena and his troops can avoid a second defeat in a row, the team should be fine.

Prediction: Honduras 1-1 USA