The selection of Honduras beat 3-0 this Monday against Haiti and with 8 points out of a possible 12, he regained the lead of Group C in the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Haiti’s team was stuck with 5 points while Costa Rica and Nicaragua were 4-1 and the latter is practically out of the World Cup.
The pupils of Colombian Reinaldo Rueda showed a different side of the team that drew 0-0 last Thursday with Costa Rica and today dealt a hard blow to Haiti, which on the third day reached the lead after beating Nicaragua 3-0. The locals went into the break with a three-goal advantage.
Today, Honduras advanced lines from the start of the match, played fast and exercised greater personal marking to avoid surprises against Haiti, which created several dangerous plays in the first half. Midfielders Rigoberto Rivas, Luis Palma and Romell Quioto, and defender Andy Najar, frequently surpassed the Haitian defenders, who were also watching Anthony Lozano, attacking through the center, against a Haitian team with bigger and faster players.
The first Honduran goal was a Vaseline by Rigoberto Rivas, after entering the area on a run in the 18th minute. Anthony Lozano, captain of the Honduran team, increased in the 26th after eluding two defenders. And Romell Quioto put the finishing touch after taking advantage of a rebound from goalkeeper Johnny Placide.
Haiti tried with high crosses into the area and mid-range shots, with Duckens Nazon appearing in their attack. Josué Casimir, Martin Experience and Frantzdy Pierrot also looked for him without success in the first half, during which the Honduras goalkeeper, Édrick Menjívar, had little work.
Read also
In the second half, Haiti came out with a different attitude in an attempt to rescue the game, while Honduras continued with the same dynamic as the first and trying to slow down when it was convenient for them to kill time. In the 53rd minute, Haiti’s goalkeeper, Johnny Placide, neutralized a point-blank shot by Luis Palma. In the 76th minute, Honduras made its first three changes to put fresh legs in its midfield and seek a broader result, while Haiti wasted the few opportunities it managed to overcome the defense of the Central American country. The Haitian goalkeeper prevented the Hondurans from scoring at least two more goals in the final minutes of the game.
TECHNICAL SHEET
3 – Honduras: Édrick Menjívar; Andy Najar, Getsel Montes (Luis Fernando Vega m.75), Marcelo Santo, Joseph Rosales; Kevin Arriaga, Rigoberto Rivas (José Mario Pinto m.76), Deiby Flores, Luis Palma (Carlos Pineda m.76); Romell Quioto and Anthony Lozano (Jorge Benguché m.88)
0 – Haiti: Johnny Placide; Ricardo Ade, Josué Casimir, Jean Kevin Duverne, Garven Metusala (Hannes Delcroix m.46); Derrick Etienne (Leverton Pierre m.46), Martin Experience, Frantzdy Pierrot (Woobens Pacius m.87); Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Louicius Don Deedson m.85) and Duckens Nazon (Ruben Providence m.63).
Goals: 1-0, m.18: Rigoberto Rivas. 2-0. m.26: Anthony Lozano. 3-0, m.39: Romell Quioto.
Referee: Oshane Anthony Nation, from Jamaica. He showed yellow card to Luis Palma, Romell Quioto and Kervin Arriaga, from Honduras.
Incidents: Match of the fourth day of Group C of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup played at the José de la Paz Herrera National Stadium in front of more than 20,000 spectators.
The victory left Honduras as the new leader of group C with eight points, and Haiti with five, waiting for the game between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Honduras’ rivals in November, when visiting, will be against Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The country that finishes in first place will qualify for the 2026 World Cup to be held in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The second will go to a play-off.
