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Honduras 0, Mexico 0 (Honduras wins shootout 5-4) |
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April
30, 2000 HERSHEY, Pennsylvania, APR 29 (AP) - Honduras stunned heavily favored Mexico 5-4 in a shootout to qualify for the Sydney Olympics soccer field.
The Hondurans, outplayed nearly all game, were rescued time and again by goalkeeper Noel Valladares. But in the shootout Friday night, he didn't need to make a save, as Mexico's first kicker, Juan Rodriquez, hit the left goal post.
None of the Hondurans missed, and when Hector Gutierrez slammed the ball into the lower left corner of the net, the Central Americans were on their way to Australia.
Their fans in the crowd, waving blue-and-white flags and dancing in the aisles, matched the players' celebrations. Gutierrez ran to the corner of the stadium toward the biggest Honduran rooting section, with his teammates streaming to him. They hugged and waved to the fans as the Mexican team left the field with heads down.
It was a shocking defeat for one of CONCACAF's perennial powers.
And it was especially painful because Mexico clearly had the best of play through regulation and most of the 30-minute overtime.
But Valladares was impenetrable, making his best saves in a four-minute span in which the Mexicans had three excellent chances.
In all, Valladares made 11 saves, including a diving hand stop with less than five minutes to go in overtime that was his best work.
In the shootout, Oscar Suazo, Francisco Pavon, Maynor Suazo and Junior Izaguirre also scored for Honduras, which previously lost to the United States 3-0 and beat Canada 2-0.
Mexico's scorers were Rafael Marquez, Luis Perez, Jorge Collazo and Hector Altamirano.
The United States beat Guatemala 4-0 in the nightcap, also qualifying for the Olympics. |