Federacion Nacional Autonama de Futbol de Honduras Region: Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football World Cup appearances: 1 (1982) Best World Cup finish: First Round Current FIFA Ranking: 38th Continental titles: !CONCACAF Championship (1981) Country’s population:!7,989,415!GDP (per inhabitant):!$4,200!Life expectancy:!70.51 Formation: 4-4-2 10!LM 21!LB Julio Cesar Emilio de Leon World Cup Qualifying Izguirre Opponent GF GA @Mexico 1 2 @Canada 2 1 3!LCB Jamaica 2 0 8!LCM Maynor Canada 3 1 Wilson 11!ST Figueroa @Jamaica 0 1 Palacios David Suazo Mexico 1 0 18!GK @Costa Rica 0 2 Noel @Trinidad/Tobago 1 1 Mexico 3 1 Valladres 9!ST @United States 1 2 20!RCM Carlos 2!RCB El Salvador 1 0 Amada Pavon Osman Guevera Costa Rica 4 0 Chavez Trinidad/Tobago 4 1 @Mexico 0 1 United States 2 3 @El Salvador 1 0 16!RB 15!RM Mauricio Walter 26 16 Record: 8-1-6 Sabillon Martinez Group H Pts W D L GF GA Name Pos No. Club (league) Caps G Spain Ricardo Canales G 1 Motagua (Honduras) 3 0 Honduras Noel Valladares G 18 Olimpia (Honduras) 72 0 Switzerland Donis Escobar G 22 Olimpia (Honduras) 11 0 Chile Name Pos No. Club (league) Caps G Osman Chávez D 2 Platense (Honduras) 28 0 TEAM NOTES Maynor Figueroa D 3 Wigan Athletic (England) 67 2 Johnny Palacios D 4 Olimpia (Honduras) 5 0 TopFormation: players 4-2-1-3: Wilson Palacios is the name player for good reason. !His Victor Bernárdez ! D 5 Anderlecht (Belgium) 42 2 physical presence in the middle of the pitch is enough to Oscar Boniek García D 14 Olimpia (Honduras) 44 2 trouble the best attacks - even Spain's. !He will test the notion that the Spaniards !do not like physical play. Mauricio Sabillón D 16 Hangzhou Nabel Greentown (China) 25 0 Amado Guevara is skill Honduras's most stilled player, and despite his age and the miles of 134 caps will be as important Emilio Izaguirre D 21 Motagua (Honduras) 41 1 as any Cataracho in their quest to advance out of group. Sergio Mendoza D Motagua (Honduras) Carlos Pavón is another player toward the end of his 23 48 1 career, but his age will be tested beyond the elevation and Hendry Thomas M 6 Wigan Athletic (England) 41 2 South African winter by the team's lack of depth in forwards, caused by the injury absence of Carlos Costly. Ramón Núñez M 7 Olimpia (Honduras) 18 3 Keys to success: Wilson Palacios M 8 Tottenham Hotspur (Eng.) 70 4 Honduras is going to have to defend better in South Africa Julio César de León M Torino (Italy) than they did in World Cup qualifying. !Allow one goal per 10 76 15 match in CONCACAF is not a level of performance that will Roger Espinoza M 13 Kansas City Wizards (U.S.) 11 3 lead to success against Spain, Chile, and Switzerland. ! Their ability to disrupt in the midfield must be accompanied Edgar Álvarez M 17 Bari (Italy) 48 3 by a reduction in mistakes at the back, particularly in goal. Danilo Turcios M 19 Olimpia (Honduras) 83 7 Outlook: Amado Guevara M 20 Motagua (Honduras) 134 29 So much will dictated by Honduras' first match against Chile. ! Nobody in the group is likely to get points off Spain, and Carlos Pavón F 9 Real España (Honduras) 100 57 where Honduras seems to have a physical and stylistic advantage against Switzerland, Chile poses a different, David Suazo F 11 Genoa (Italy) 52 16 greater challenge. !If Honduras can get a point from the Chileans, they stand a good chance of getting out of group. ! Georgie Welcome F 12 Motagua (Italy) 14 4 Walter Martínez F 15 Marathón (Honduras) 35 11 Graphic created by Jeremiah Oshan Courtesy of SounderAtHeart.com and SBNation.com.