They're Back: USA Returns to FIFA World Cup After Defeating Honduras

I will be honest with each and every one of you: Bob Bradley has a lot of work to do to earn my vote of confidence, but he is heading on the right track. I say this because Bradley took a gamble on choosing Colorado Rapids swingman Conor Casey instead of Jozy Altidore to start against Honduras. And when it pays off, it pays off.

Sunday was a day to remember for the American soccer faithful. The USA returned to the FIFA World Cup for a chance to redeem themselves after the horrendous pratfall that was Germany '06.

A Casey brace, a Landon Donovan winner, and a missed penalty by Honduras striker Carlos Pavon sealed the Yanks' 3-2 victory over Los Catrachos in San Pedro Sula.

The first half was all Honduras. Wilson Palacios and Hendry Thomas outworked Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark in the midfield. Charlie Davies and Carlos Bocanegra had opportunities to break open the scoring for the visitors.

In the 47th minute, Julio Cesar de Leon broke open the scoring with a set piece that found the top left corner, eluding USA goalkeeper Tim Howard.

But the USA struck back. A volley from the midfield by Oguchi Onyewu was played to Davies but was deflected to Casey, who made Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares pay for a poor save attempt to make it 1-1 in the 55th minute.

Casey completed his brace thanks to some solid passing from the Onyewu, Davies, and the LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan. Valladares bit on the misdirection to make it 2-1 USA in the 66th minute.

And the crowd of 45,000 at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano went silent.

Donovan got on the score sheet as well. A curling free kick found the top right corner in the 71st minute to make it 3-1. De Leon would complete his brace in the 78th minute thanks to help from Honduras's David Suazo.

The 87th minute was a moment to be damned for all eternity if you were a supporter of Los Catrachos.

Stuart Holden was called for an armball inside the box. With match official Roberto Moreno pointing to the spot, Pavon had a chance to equalize late in the contest.

He sent it high. The crowd gasped in despair. And the boos rained out.

With the victory, the USA becomes the first team to win on Honduran soil in the qualifying rounds.

Even Casey admitted that this was a surprise for him to start in San Pedro Sula.

“I was a little surprised, but definitely excited to get the start," he said following the match. "We knew it was going to be a very tough game. They obviously were playing to win and playing for the same thing that we were, and they had their crowd behind them.

"I thought we played well, we played smart, got a little lucky in the end with the [missed] penalty, but we definitely deserved it in the end."

“This was the most important game in qualifying because it was the one that qualified us for South Africa 2010,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley after the match. “The celebration was a very good one because when you have a group that has come together, that has worked hard, that has grown, when they’ve accomplished something it’s a special feeling.

"Tonight we can all share that feeling.”

“You don’t want to go into the last game leaving anything to chance," said Landon Donovan on the win. "As we see around the world, even with qualifiers today, anything can happen in one soccer game and we didn’t want to leave that opportunity open. It was nice to get it done.”

There is still a lot to play for between Los Ticos and Los Catrachos: Who gets the third automatic berth, and who gets to be in the shoes of where Australia was in 2005.

If the CONMEBOL rounds ended today, the fourth-place finish would be Uruguay in the inter-continental playoffs. But even the big picture in South America has yet to be cleared out.

Regardless, it's time to party in the nation's capital. The USA wraps up their Hexagonal with an Oct. 14 clash at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium against Costa Rica.


Match: United States vs. Honduras
Date: October 10, 2009
Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifier – Final Round
Venue: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano – San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Kickoff: 8 p.m. MT
Attendance: TBA
Weather: 80 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 3 3
HON 0 2 2

HON – Julio Cesar de Leon (unassisted) 47th minute
USA – Conor Casey (Charlie Davies) 55
USA – Conor Casey (Landon Donovan) 66
USA – Landon Donovan (unassisted) 71
HON – Julio Cesar de Leon (David Suazo) 78

Lineups

USA: 1-Tim Howard; 2-Jonathan Spector, 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 12-Jonathan Bornstein; 7-Stuart Holden (6-Steve Cherundolo, 90+3), 13-Ricardo Clark, 4-Michael Bradley, 10-Landon Donovan; 9-Charlie Davies (17-Jozy Altidore, 79), 8-Conor Casey (16-Benny Feilhaber, 84)
Subs not used: 11-Kenny Cooper, 14-Jose Torres, 15-Jimmy Conrad, 18-Brad Guzan
Head Coach: Bob Bradley

HON: 18-Noel Valladares; 16-Mauricio Sabillon, 2-Osman Chavez, 3-Maynor Figueroa, 12-Emilio Izaguirre; 17-Edgard Alvarez (11-David Suazo, 64), 6-Hendry Thomas (7-Ramon Nunez, 75), 8-Wilson Palacios, 10-Julio Cesar de Leon (15-Walter Martinez, 80); 13-Carlo Costly, 9-Carlos Pavon
Subs not used: 1-Ricardo Canales, 5-Erick Norales, 14-Boniek Garcia, 4-Melvin Valladares,
Head Coach: Reinaldo Rueda

Stats Summary: USA / HON
Shots: 16 / 13
Shots on Goal: 7 / 5
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Fouls: 12 / 16
Offside: 1 / 2

Misconduct Summary

HON – Osman Chavez (caution) 47th minute
HON – Maynor Figueroa (caution) 73
USA – Jonathan Bornstein (caution) 85

Officials

Referee: Roberto Moreno (PAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel Williamson (PAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Jaime Smith (PAN)
Fourth Official: Jose Luis Rodriguez (PAN)