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Jerry Bengtson scored a pair of second-half goals to help Honduras to a 2-2 draw with a 10-man Morocco in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday in the opening game of the men's Olympic soccer tournament at the London Games.
Mexico also opened with a draw, outplayed for much of its match against South Korea and settling for a 0-0 tie in Newcastle, England.
Bengtson's goals in the 56th and 65th minutes - the second a penalty - rallied Honduras from an early deficit to a 2-1 lead. But Morocco rallied with a goal 2½ minutes later by Zakaria Labyad, denying Honduras only its second win at the Olympics in its history.
Honduras was unable to capitalize on a man advantage over the final 18 minutes after Zakarya Bergdich was ejected for kicking Mario Martinez as the two challenged each other for a ball.
After Abdelaziz Barrada gave Morocco the lead with a volleyed shot in the 39th, Bengtson, who transferred from Honduran side Motagua to the New England Revolution in the United States earlier this month, equalized for Honduras.
Maynor Figueroa dribbled in from midfield to a step inside the left side of the penalty area before unleashing a left-footed drive that Bengtson deflected inside the near post.
Bengtson then put Honduras ahead nine minutes later after Yassine Jebbour clipped the heels of second-half substitute Eddie Hernandez as he raced through the area to get to Arnold Peralta's cross from the right.
The elation of Honduras, which lost all three games at the Beijing Olympics without scoring a goal, evaporated, however, when Labyad finished a series of passes between himself, Barrada and Houssine Kharja with a deftly lofted ball from inside the 18 over the head of goalkeeper Jose Mendoza.
Despite the man advantage, Morocco appeared to have the better of play over the final stretch, creating the more dangerous chances that it was unable to convert.
In Newcastle, England, South Korea dominated for most of the match, outshooting the Mexicans 12-8 and generating 11 corner kicks to the Mexicans' three.
Its best chances came in the 53rd when Koo Ja-cheol skimmed a close-range effort off the crossbar, and two minutes later when Ki Sung-yong hit a drive from distance that Mexican keeper Jesus Corona had to push over the top.
Mexico created some danger after Giovani dos Santos replaced Oribe Peralta in the 67th. Marco Fabian had El Tri's first serious moment when a corner kick dropped to the edge of the six, but the Chivas forward scuffed the chance high.
It's most closest opportunity came in the third minute of injury time when America's Raul Jimenez was sent down the middle of the field, took a touch wide and sent a right-footed drive from the edge of the 18 off the outside of the right post.
