Honduras picked up its first win of the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying with a 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in San Pedro Sula on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston Dynamo midfielder Boniek García started the match and provided the assist on Los Catrachos’ opening goal in the 16th minute. García’s initial touched popped the ball high in the air in midfield, but he took a deft touch over his shoulder to find a teammate and receive the return pass. He then slid a pass to his left, which Romell Quioto hit first time and curled into the net.
Honduras doubled the lead three minutes later, as Emilio Izaguirre charged onto a loose ball in the box and fired a close-range shot past the keeper. García nearly added another goal before the half, playing a give-and-go on the right side before forcing a tough save over the bar with a hard shot from outside the box.
Trinidad cut the lead in half in the 51st minute as Carlyle Mitchell connected on a corner kick, but Honduras put the game out of reach in the 81st minute. García was again the provider, making an unmarked run down the left side of the penalty area and finding Eddie Hernandez with a low cross for his second assist of the day. The 32-year-old exited the match to applause in the final seconds of added time.
Honduras now has three points from the first two games of the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Panama last Friday at home. García entered as a substitute and played 30 minutes in that match.
