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KANSAS CITY, Kansas - Gerson Rodas scored twice in extra time and Honduras defeated Central American rival El Salvador 3-2 on Saturday to earn a third trip to the Olympics since 2000.
Honduras took the lead three times, with Rodas tallying first in the 11th minute, and then again in the 24th minute of the extra period to finally subdue El Salvador.
"El Salvador fought valiantly," Honduras manager Luis Fernando Suarez said. "They played a very good game. They might have deserved to win the game."
The result also put Honduras into Monday's final of CONCACAF Olympic qualifying for the confederation's under-23 title against Mexicoand denied El Salvador a first trip to the Olympics since its lone appearance in 1968.
"It's been a very hard road, even to get to the qualification. It's good we qualified for the Olympics. It's not done here," Fernandez said. "There's a long road ahead playing in the Olympic games."
Honduras went ahead 41 seconds after the opening kickoff on Antony Lozano's goal and appeared to be on its way to victory until Milton Molina equalized in the 77th minute.
Rodas put Honduras ahead again midway through the first extra period, but Edwin Sanchez equalized a second time for El Salvador in the 101st
Honduras needed penalties to reach the Olympics in its two other trips to the Summer Games. It outlasted Mexico on penalties in 2000 in the semifinals and Guatemala four years ago. It went on to win the CONCACAF U-23 titles both times.
Honduras converted on its first foray into the El Salvadoran half. Wilmer Crisanto's cross from the right side appeared to get deflected by the top of Molina's head and fell to Lozano.
Lozano took a touch to settle and create space, putting the ball on his right foot in middle of the penalty area and hitting a right-footed shot that defender Alexander Mendoza appeared to get a partial block of, but only enough to send it bounding off the right post and past diving keeper Yimy Cuellar.
Honduras continued to dominate possession and chances in the first half, but appeared to change tactics in the second half, crowding the midfield with as many seven players at times to frustrate El Salvador's efforts to play the ball through.
It had success, allowing only a handful of chances. Jaime Alas broke in on the left side before Hilder Colon raced back and made a clean tackle at the top of area in the 58th. Alas served in a ball that Lester Blanco failed to get off a shot, and subsequently Isidro Gutierrez also had the ball at his feet with his back to goal only to have it knocked away in the 71st.
Blanco curled a left-footed effort wide of the right post in the 74th, but El Salvador finally capitalized when Sanchez sent a corner kick to the back post. Molina outleapt the defense and headed it past keeper Jose Mendoza.
El Salvador coach Mauricio Alfaro attributed the loss to "missed chances. The continuity was something that was missing," he said. "We played better than Honduras in the second half."
Honduras reclaimed the when Rodas ran in from the top of the penalty area to head in Alexander Lopez's cross to the back post and knocked it in just outside the six.
But El Salvador replied within five minutes, 46 seconds after the start of the second extra time period. Herbert Sosa's cross was met by Sanchez 14 meters from goal and his header bounced once before slipping inside the left post past a diving Jose Mendoza.
Rodas finally scored the goal that El Salvador would not answer. Andy Najar worked free of Xavier Garcia on the right and curled another ball to the back post, where Rodas again lurked to knocked it in.
El Salvador played without regular defender Alexander Larin, who on Friday was suspended for three games for striking U.S. forward Terrence Boyd in the Cuscatlecos' 3-3 draw on Monday that qualified them for the semifinals.
Both teams were hampered by injuries midway through the first half. Honduras lost midfielder Alfredo Mejia for what appeared to be an ankle injury, hurt apparently on a twisting shot in the 26th minute and replaced by Luis Garrido.
El Salvador lost Diego Chavarria a minute later, seemingly kicked in the back of the knee by Honduras' Mario Martinez and replaced by Darwin Ceren.
