Canada, Honduras earn key points in Gold Cup group play

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 21, 2025) Canada and Honduras kept their Concacaf Gold Cup dreams alive with exciting results on the field on Saturday. Both teams are chasing a spot in the knockout round as group play nears its end.

Canada got off to a fast start in their match against Curaçao. Midfielder Nathan Saliba, making just his fifth appearance for the national team, scored early in the 9th minute. His right-footed shot from the center of the box found the bottom corner of the goal, giving Canada a 1-0 lead.

Canada looked like they would grab all three points, but Curaçao had other plans. In the 94th minute, Jeremy Antonisse tied the game. He scored on a right-footed shot from the center of the box. Joshua Zimmerman provided the assist with a sharp pass. The match ended 1-1.

Later that evening, Honduras brought energy and intensity in a 2-0 win over El Salvador. The crowd roared when forward Romell Quioto scored in the 33rd minute. The former Houston Dynamo star split two defenders and fired a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. Edwin Rodríguez set him up with a smooth assist.

Honduras sealed the win in stoppage time. Midfielder took off on a fast break. El Salvador’s goalkeeper, Mario Gonzalez, had moved up the field, leaving the goal wide open. Ramirez took advantage and scored from long range into an empty net.

“We took advantage of Dixon’s potential,” said Honduras head coach Reinaldo Rueda. “Thank God he was able to finish. That second goal gave us a huge relief.”

With one game left in group play, Canada leads Group B with four points. Honduras is close behind with three. Curaçao has two points, while El Salvador is last with one.

Canada will face El Salvador next at Shell Energy Stadium on June 24. Honduras will take on Curaçao the same day at PayPal Park in California.

Guatemala and Honduras meet in international friendly in Houston

By Robert H Kelly

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography

Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 27, 2022) PNC Stadium played host to an international friendly soccer match with saw Honduras and Guatemala facing off in front of over 10,000 fans in Houston. The contest was an excellent opportunity specifically for fans of both country's national teams, but also all soccer fans in general. After a combination of intense and passionate play, Honduras emerged with a 2-1 win.

Guatemala found paydirt first, in the 32nd minute, when striker Darwin Lorn found the back of the net to give Los Chapines a 1-0 lead. That score remained through halftime and until the 70th minute when Guatemala defender Nicolas Samayoa gave Honduras an own goal to even the score at one. Seventeen minutes later, Los Catrachos took the lead when midfielder Edwin Solano scored  to secure the win.

 

Honduras and El Salvador Battle to 2-2 Tie in Pre-Gold Cup Friendly

(Honduras' Edder Delgado (23) and Carlo Costly (13) "prepare" for a shot by El Salvador's Dennis Alas (14). Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)


By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 29, 2011) On two late goals by forwards Rodolfo Zelaya and Rudis Corrales, El Salvador tied Honduras 2-2 in a pre-Gold Cup friendly soccer match at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium.

Honduras led 2-0 going into the final minutes of the game, when Zelaya fired a shot pass Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares to cut “Los Catrachos” lead to one.

“Cuscatlecos” got another score a scant three minutes later when Corrales got the ball and chipped it past Valladares.

Before that, the match was basically all Honduras.

They got their first goal right in the 45th minute, when forward Carlo Costly found himself right in front of an unprotected goal and nudged it in for the first score of the game.

They came back six minutes into the second half on a shot by forward Jerry Bengtson.

In the first half, El Salvador managed only seven shots, with a single attempt being on the goal. Honduras on the other hand, had three shots on goal with 13 attempts.

During halftime, Salvadorian manager Ruben Israel must have lit a fire under his players, as the countered in the second half with two addition shots on goal on seven more shots.

They finished the match with two goals, three shots on goal, and 13 total shots.

Honduras finished with two goals, four shots on goal, and 17 total shots.

The game was relatively free of any hostility between the two teams; with only two cautions issued.

Honduras’ Johnny Leveron received a yellow card in the 4th minute, while El Salvador’s Luis Anaya received his in the 23rd minute.

El Salvador will kick off the 2011 Gold Cup against Mexico on June 5 at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

They are in Group A and will also face Cuba and Costa Rico.

Honduras will start the Gold Cup against Guatemala on June 5 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

They will also face Grenada and Jamaica in Group B action.

Honduras Destroys Cuba 5-0 in Gold Cup 2007 Action

By Robert H. Kelly

(Houston, Texas, June 13, 2007) In the first game of the final round of Group C in the 2007 Gold Cup, Honduras didn’t take long to take control of the game and basically show Cuba the exit door from the tournament.

Scoring 3 goals in the first half, Honduras defeated Cuba 5-0 in front of a mostly supportive crowd at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.

Carlos Pavon (Real CD Espana) was virtually a one man show, scoring a hat trip in the 1st half.

Not even three minutes into the game, he took a pass from Carlos Costly (GKS Belchatow-Poland) in the third minute to take the score to 1-0.

The second goal of the game came in the 12th minute, as he scored an unassisted goal from in front of the net. Score: Honduras 2 Cuba 0.

His final goal of the first half came in the 42nd minute, as he took a pass from Julio Leon (Genova-Italy), scoring on a header. Score: Honduras 3 Cuba 0.

Cuba’s total lack of offense and porous defense may have been due to a lack of talent on the pitch.

A rumor began circulating around the press box by half time that four Cuban players had been benched. In addition, the rumor progressed that they were possibly trying to defect.

A statement for CONCACAF Media Officer Steve Torres stated, “This is not a matter that involves CONCACAF, and therefore we have no comment.”

Coming right back in the second half, Pavon wasted no time as he connected in the 53rd minute on another assist from Leon give Honduras an insurmountable lead of 4-0.

Both Cuba and Honduras began substituting shortly after Pavon’s fourth goal. Cuba substituted in an attempt to find anything that resembled an offense. Honduras pulled Pavon in the 62nd minute I order to give him a rest for Sunday’s match and to allow other players to get needed playing time.

The final goal of the game came in the form of a penalty kick by Amado Guevara (Chivas USA).

Honduras will now go on to face the third place team from Group A or C in a quarterfinal match on Sunday at Reliant Stadium.