体坛英语新闻：Honduras beats US 2-1 in World Cup qualifier

TEGUCIGALPA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Honduras beat the United States 2-1 Wednesday in the opener of regional qualifying games for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Three teams will get tickets for Brazil 2014 World Cup in the Concacaf (Confederation of North American, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) qualifying tournament.

The local team started in good shape but the US team resisted the attack during the first minutes.

Some 30,000 fans gathered in the San Pedro Sula Olympic Stadium to cheer for their team.

At minute 35, the visitors took advantage in the score and silenced the Honduran fans when Clint Dempsey, with a right shot, defeated goalkeeper Noel Valladares.

Four minutes later, Victor Bernardez sent a center to Maynor Figueroa, who downed it to Juan Carlos Garcia so he could kick the ball and defeated goalkeeper Tim Howard, to draw the game.

At minute 78, Boniek Garcia, with great speed, grabbed the ball from a US defender so Jerry Bengston could softly kick and score Honduras' second goal.

After the second goal, the US players pressed from middle field and advanced the offensive line but they couldn't break the strong Honduran defense.

The US players' tiredness was notorious, possibly affected by the 36 Celsius degrees in San Pedro Sula.

The rest of the teams who play in Concacaf's qualifying tournament are Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Jamaica.

The first three positions get a direct ticket to Brazil 2014 while the fourth one will play a runoff game with a team from Oceania, which will probably be New Zealand.